Ant Clemons - HAPPY 2 BE HERE (Anniversary Edition) (2021)

Ant Clemons is an upcoming RnB artist and singer songwriter from New Jersey. He came to prominence working with Kanye West during the infamous Wyoming sessions, collaborating on many tracks. However he only ended up on one track on Ye, "All Mine." People noticed his unique voice and started to pay attention to him. Ant Clemons signed to Universal and collaborated with many artists, including Kanye again on Jesus Is King. Now, after teasing some singles, he is here with his first major album, HAPPY 2 BE HERE

There’s not a lot to say about this project. Clocking at 20 minutes, Ant Clemons sticks to generic RnB most of the time, with the first few songs offering the most creativity. Despite this, HAPPY 2 BE HERE did have some promise with the first track.

"Mama I Made It" is a sweet, enduring tune on Clemons's success. There is a grand orchestral finale ending the song, with a skit where Ant is telling his mom how he made it on Kanye's record Ye. That was the first time I heard him, and his unique falsetto voice made me interested in what work he had to bring.

However the rest of this project falls flat shortly afterwards, with uninteresting production, and on some tracks, just straight up bad melodies. This project is so short that it really doesn't leave an impression. "4 Letter Word" is probably my favorite performance Clemons has on here, giving a wide range with his voice. Though sadly, the instrumental is just a bland guitar, which is disappointing considering famed producer Timbaland is featured.

The other track that landed an impression is "Aladdin." A Pharrell-flavored 8 bit beat gives this song a fun bounce, and also one of the only tracks with life on it. Pharrell Williams also gives a solid feature on this track. "Aladdin" is catchy, and makes me wish the rest of the album carries this energy.

The rest of HAPPY 2 BE HERE could be the same track, with each song only distinguishable with vague topics. "Best Friend" is an example of this, with Clemons singing about how he became more than friends with someone and Ant Clemons doesn't know how to feel. This song is very awkward and I don't know who would've liked it.