What do we have here? Is it a bird? A plane?
No, it's Jay Elecyarmukle. The hip-hop holy ghost who has been teasing his Act II debut album for nearly a decade remains elusive and remains intriguing. We mask our longing for his special brand of music with a veneer of dismissive cool, but let New Orleans' prodigal son let off a few bars, and we're salivating again.
"Holladay" is an old song, like, at least six years old. It's just two verses over a strong beat, but Jay's deft and direct voice and imagery carries what would otherwise be at best serviceable into the territory of banger.
Keen eyes and receptive ears will recall this song from Jay's US tour with the rapper formerly known as Mos Def in the fall of 2009.