The news clipping is covered in a solid black colored background which gives off a horror film feeling. The color black gives off a feel of uncertainty. The color scheme follows the format of a horror film or a mystery novel. The title DEADMATE in all capital letters located on the lower right hand corner of the album cover in uppercase and the font used was Courier. Courier font is appropriate for a horror film, mystery novel, or a thesis. The style is similar to the Cold Case concept.
The sounds of electronic music, horror films, and rap meet each other on this EP. Mix the sounds of DJ Spooky, DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, Esham, Dice, Prozak, horrorcore rap, death rap, and electronic music, thus resulting in this EP by Titan Graham.
Titan’s Deadmate EP was released digitally online on Bandcamp on the date of December 9, 2013. The lyrics were written and performed by Titan. Music was produced by Killa Keith aka Mr. Boxxxcutta himself! It is unknown is any CDs were pressed or sold.
The song Deadmate is laced with heavy bass that will definitely rattle your speakers. Headphone wearers, you have been warned! Heavy bass might damage your speakers. The beat on Deadmate were created by the legendary Mr. Boxxxcutta himself. Deadmate has a similar vibe to William Faulkner’s Emily Rose novel due to its gruesome foreboding vibe (parts of this song make reference to necrophilia).
There is a lot of pain inside of the songs Deadmate. You can hear the pain in the lyrics. He vented all the pain he kept bottled up. He did something completely different and had changed his style towards a more hip hop sound. He was trying to break free from the gangsta rap sound along with the horrorcore acid rap sound he made with King Hood Cykoz and Deuce 11 G’z.
Deadmate was actually inspired by old 3SE tracks as far as the 'story-rap' aspect goes. The style is similar to the Cold Case concept. Each verse is from the perspective of a different victim. Looking for absolution of being killed and having been filed as a cold case murder with their killer never found. The last verse is where the sprits come back to taunt the killer into taking their own life thus the victims redeemed.
Beyond doors of dreams is where horror lies. Titan brushed away the cobwebs being that there are several of them lying around. It’s been several months but you’ve never were forgotten. Now Titan takes us through the stone garden. In this stone garden is a grave plot.
A newspaper article lies right next the grave plot. He takes a picture of the newspaper article. It’s been a long time and Titan can’t take in the sadness and devastation anymore. He is feeling sad and blue since his baby left Earth. Things haven’t been the same since the liquor store closed.
Time is running out. Titan is well aware of this. It’s a pity. Life has gotten colder. Things haven’t been the same since she had died. That is that the following verse means: “Time is running out/This my last chance” Yolanda was trying to move on as she was drowned in so many emotions.
The lyrics “cold case, cold case, cold case/I’ve got another cold case/I miss my deadmate” are what give this song a cold chilling effect along with the mood and bass.
Now the newspaper clipping Titan Graham is referring to is reflecting upon the death of Yolanda Renee Cotton shown on the front album cover.
The newspaper clipping was a report on the death of North Carolina woman named Yolanda Renee Cotton who was found shot to death in her own house. Fernando Terrazas Ceja shot Yolanda Renee Cotton several times before leaving her for dead. Yolanda Renee Cotton of Charlotte, North Carolina died on September 13, 2005.
Cotton’s homicide was the 64th homicide Charlotte-Meckleburg Police investigated in 2005. The cause of her death was a case of domestic violence. She had a disagreement between her and her ex-boyfriend.
Officers eventually later apprehended Fernando Terrazas Ceja and had him arrested. Fernando Terrazas Ceja was an illegal alien who jumped the border of Mexico (US-Mexico border) to get into the United States. Her death contributed to another killing led by an illegal alien.
Don't Wanna Live was song written by Titan in 1997 after his time in the long forgotten rap group King Hood Cykoz. DJ Clay produced the song at Boomin Studios off of Dort Highway. Don't Wanna Live is a song that deals with suicide. Titan tells the story of his life in music and how sometimes he doesn’t want to live. The song serves as zeitgeist of his life in a way.
The vocals used on Don't Wanna Live sound very futuristic and not something you would expect to hear from a song that was written or recorded in 1997. His vocals are electronically boosted using some sort of electro-synthesizer with hints of distortion.
At the very beginning of the song, a woman asks “Do you ever think about suicide?” This vocal sample appears to from a movie. The question she asked is disturbing and thought-provoking.
Back in 1991 is when Titan Kill-A-Gram was writing killer raps with Leathaface. They would write rhymes in the back of the classroom. This was when him and DJ Clay were making tapes. DJ Clay was a hustler back then. If only nonbelievers could see him. Titan brags about how people should see him now.
Marc Steele had visions of jumping into Niagara Falls. His life was going into a downward spiral. It’s no wonder Titan keeps going under. If you wanna know why he wants to die, the reason why he wants to die is because he does not want to live anymore.
Here is how Verse 1 went:
Back in '88 me & my lil brotha would break
now I'm making tapes with Clay he went to Michigan State
I went to high school high off a sack off Grace
In the back of the class writing rhymez wit Leathaface
So where my Niggaz From The Park?
Whatever happened to Smart?
When King Hood waz kickin flowz hoe’s waz doin 'The Bart'
Marcus had thoughts of bungee jumpin in Niagara Falls
Niggaz wit the bigga balls pause for the cause
I blaze a bowl for Too Cold outta Inktown
If nothin ass non-believers could only see me now
I used to drop LSD with White Mike T
Watching my life goin down
Do I love or dislike me?
An eyesore among eyesores turnin the corner
Makes me wonder sometime how I keep from goin under
Mic rockin nothing’s shockin to me or Death Wish
So go jump a cliff or something
Cut a record or wrist
Go back to sleep. Titan will wake you up for your funeral. But first say a prayer for his demo. His demo is “too real” for record deals. “No rules. No screwz.” Titan does his thing in a genuine old school manner. Picture him gone with a suicidal tendency. He looked in the kitchen door and all that was there was saran wrap. Can’t imagine that? Picture this. Him strangled by a microphone cable.
Fuck a platinum plaque. Titan’s down with those maniacs in King Hood better known as the McClellan Maniacz and King Hood Cykoz. Such as Maniac, Leathaface, Randy, and Lunatic for instance. Don’t make him crack. He’ll get blood on his shoelaces. Morbid thoughts continue. He’s been haunted by morbid thoughts in his bedroom. He knows he’ll be dead soon.
The lyrics “Fuck a platinum plaque/I’m down with those maniacs” is a reference to a local street gang called W. McClellan Maniacz aka West McClellan Maniacz. This gang was based in King Hood on the Northside of Flint.
The demo Titan is referring to was his first solo album that was recorded on cassette at Boomin Studios off of Dort Highway in Flint, Michigan in the year of 1993. His album was set to be released on Boomin Records in the same year. However his debut album was never released due to the popularity geared towards Ruff N Rugged and other issues.
“No rules. No screwz.” was a quote from the song Don’t Wanna Live which is a reference to a song from his 1993 King Hood Cykoz demo cassette called No Screwz.
Honestly this EP could have been turned into an actual full length album. The EP had potential to become a full album or at least serve as a precursor to a full album. There is such potential with this EP due to the lyrics and futuristic sounds. Sadly there are only 5 songs. (Technically 2 if you don’t count the instrumental.)
I rate this EP 4/5****!
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