Murfreesboro musician Kenny Mc and Puerto Rican artist Piri Nico recently released the collaborative album Twelve Twenty Two, an urban Latino affair containing 16 tracks full of reggaeton, pop, trap, rap, and club music. Both collaborators produced the album by communicating via the internet, with neither artist speaking the other’s language; Twelve Twenty Two is the first album from this unlikely duo.
Twelve Twenty Two is recorded primarily in Spanish; however, the energy of the music is so transparent that a translation isn’t needed. As a whole, this work is quite a feat, considering its long-distance collaboration. With a long track list and a wide range of styles and flavors, the album is likely to find appreciation among rap and hip-hop fans. Kenny Mc and Piri Nico deserve praise for forging a universal album with a dose of Latin flair.
Urban Latino music is becoming increasingly popular in the US. It’s exciting to hear a great example sprout from Middle Tennessee, but how exactly did this international collaboration happen? The duo connected through a social music platform known as Allihoopa, a website that allows music creators of all types to participate in an open exchange of ideas. Allihoopa, along with Google Translate, allowed Kenny and Piri to communicate and create from their respective locations.
Kenny Mc has a great ear as a producer. Every track shines with its own flavor while still delivering polished beat production and intimate vocal hooks. In general, the album is on par with modern rap/R&B standards. Stylistically, the album strays close to Drake, The Weeknd, and similar popular radio kingpins. The creative duo has a long road ahead until they begin climbing Billboard, though. There are some clichés and subpar characteristics keeping this album from its sharpest potential.
All but one of the 16 songs opens with a reverberated vocal sample that says “Kenny Mc,” a device that makes listeners aware of who produced the song, similar to a brand name. For example, “El Viaje” opens with “Kenny Mc did this.” Considering Kenny Mc produced the entire album, the reminder becomes redundant and tedious after a few tracks, threatening to hinder the varied song selection.
Lack of variation can sometimes ruin an otherwise great list of songs. Luckily, Piri Nico does a superb job of juggling multiple genres under the roof of one album. Listening to Twelve Twenty Two is a fun ride that runs smoothly from track to track. Several tracks on the album will mix well in most DJ setlists. Latin-influenced club mixes are trending, and Piri Nico touches on many of its subgenres exceptionally well, paired with Kenny’s keen sense of rhythm.
Twelve Twenty Two is available via Apple Music and Spotify.
