It’s difficult to ignore Jeremy Jermaine Jerome, and that’s meant in the most literal way possible. In both his personality and his music, the eccentric artist/rapper practically wills his music and personality onto people he’s identified as potential fans, inspirations, critics, promoters and tastemakers. Part of that strategy includes renting out the region’s most celebrated (and expensive) venues, including Asbury Hall and Kleinhans for over-the-top performances. His music, like his persona, is penetrative, and thus not for everyone. His latest musical foray, the long coming full length self (destructive), is the culmination of those previously mentioned efforts of varying success. The record, released under the name just ending now, is 10 tracks of jarring industrial-rap-bombast that much of the time rubs the wrong way but occasionally wanders into moments of inspired resolution. 

Despite some ill-advised singing on “Intuition” and “Found Your Way Via Escape” Jerome’s effort  is impressive and any prior miscues are redeemed on the record’s climax, “To Change a Panhandler” on which the 30-something artist sounds his fiercest—ripping through the mechanized beats crafted by producer Andrew Esposito. “To Change a Panhandler” is the shining spot on the album in terms of production, lyricism, flow, and virtually every other category that comes to mind. The rest of the album is marked the gritty, grimy downtempo beats on tracks like “After Effects” and “Obsess” by producer Alex Boles, and the unique lyrics of Jerome. Jerome’s lyrical style has always revolved around themes like religion, death, birth, and the south—where he grew up, though he’ll always remind you that he was born in Buffalo—and this record is no different except that it’s all a bit more focused. If you ask him what he thinks of his own record, he’ll tell you that it’s something “sacred” and “ground breaking” but that’s up to you, as the listener, to decide.