Sad Nigga Hours

On his 4th official project, Sad Nigga Hour 2 by Lee-Roy serves as a follow up sequel to the SNH series. Capturing his vulnerability in a form of musical catharsis, the rapper released what I consider his best project to date.


Since the inception of his career in battle rap and later transcending to a more mainstream approach of music, Lee-Roy has been making a lot of noise. While the hip-hop scene in Bloemfontein awaits to see a creative renaissance, Lee-Roy remains one of the few individuals who create at a high level. Not only is he dedicated to the musical aspect of his career, but his commendable efforts to revitalize the culture extend to various avenues such as visuals, merchandise, live events, and brand collaborations.


Prior to the release of the project, I had the opportunity to attend the listening session for the project. In partnership with Starbucks Mimosa Mall, SNH 2: The Experience was truly incredible. Excellent coffee, fantastic music, and amazing conversation.


If I'm to make a comparison between the first installment of the SNH series and this one, I would say there is a lot more maturity in the music. There is a lost art of making well-cohesive, good-quality projects that can be replayed multiple times years from now, especially in this microwave era of music that we live in. The approach to this project has a much more intense sense of vulnerability. From the first song "Show Me," you hear a quite lush and moody feel of the instrumentation, setting the tone just right for what is expected further into the project.


While SNH One featured a lot more rapping than singing by Lee Roy, this project showcases an equal blend of Rap and R&B. It's a side of him that isn't often seen, but he truly delivered an impressive display of vocal performances.


There is a lot that Lee-Roy gets to pull from emotionally, and we hear it through the issues that he addresses in the music. While SNH One was narrowly centered around him being in a toxic affair, on this particular project we see him express his fear, insecurity of separation, and feeling deep fits of sadness. Yeah, that boy is really going through it. Not for nothing, the songwriting is impeccable, sonically it is consistent and has a solid structure giving you a pleasurable listen from start to finish. He dabbles in his traditional set-up punchline schemes here and there. These are some of the imageries that I appreciate, and surely a lot of people will too whether they are here for the R&B or the Rap element of the project.


“Building something to watch it fall, well that’s cruel You thought that I was perfect, I get it wish you knew that them Penthouse views only means that I got flaws too


” /// “


Lucky me, I'm at crossroads with myself Cause going off the rails, a train smashing in itself Lucky me, painting portraits of my pain and poor taste, I'm pained by all shades of grey ”



The project is led by the production of Stige Lebaka and JBDaProd. Both amazing producers in their own right, they furnish the project with a mixture of mid and up-tempo records, muffled drums, and smooth chords that make for a good contemporary Rap&B project. Lee-Roy also assembles the avengers of vocal performers in Lionelle, Vajo 07, and Stige Lebaka, all of them boasting their skill of sultry sing-raps. Some of the records that truly stand out for me are Attachments and Enough, where Lee-Roy addresses his conflicting emotions with having attachment issues while being sick and tired of always being the "better guy". Elsewhere, the song Indecisive makes for a great heartbroken ballad. He taps into a unique pocket, displaying a great exercise of his vocal range coupled with a generic hook and simple eight-bar sing-rhythmic verse.


The standout feature of the project is Lionelle, who is featured on the songs Should've Known and Lady Luck. Her high-tone pitch on the songs facilitates in giving the project a climactic build-up, leaving listeners with a lasting impression and a sense of fulfillment. By the time you get to the last song, Are You Okay, you find yourself jamming to a uniquely crafted song. While the message is one of empathy and reassurance, the song is composed as a compassionate sing-along. Overall, this is a really good project adding on to Lee-Roy’s incredible catalog.