Songs

Jay Prince – “Mandem”

blame it on Patrick Glynn May 30, 2017

As an artist’s fame grows, his or her inner circle often elasticizes against their will. It’s inevitable, as more fame often means more money and responsibilities and people seeping into your life. Right now, London rapper Jay Prince is still — and plans to always be — in control of who surrounds him, but he can feel the outside pressure of who wants to join that inner circle.

His new song “Mandem” contrasts that growing success with the leeches who now want to hang alongside Prince. “Why you wanna be mandem?” Shakka asks on the hook, wondering why now all of a sudden people want to take advantage of their fame.

“‘Mandem’ is about realizing how far I’ve come and grown as an artist being able to get to a place where you never thought you could reach,” Prince told The FADER. “Shakka was the best fit for me as a feature on this song, firstly because I’m a big fan of his and secondly because he is someone who I respect and have built a relationship with naturally. It was dope being able to work with an artist who has a good ear musically and just gets how this shit goes.”

Prince’s Late Summers arrives this Friday. Listen to “Mandem” below.