With Warlord of the Weejuns, Goya Gumbani delivers his debut studio album with clarity, intention, and a rich tapestry of sound, cracking open his craft in remarkable ways. It’s a deeply poetic, jazz-inflected journey through identity, spirituality, and Black resilience. Gumbani is a potent wordsmith with a natural affinity for jazz’s creative elasticity, an album rich with stunning collaborations. The title itself, a nod to Miles Davis, and ike Davis, Gumbani is uncompromising in his artistry, fluid in his genre boundaries, and fearless in approach. Goya arranged his singular vision with production from Joe Armon-Jones, Swarvy, Franky Bones, Dan Diggers, Ustedes, Maxwell Owin, Omari Jazz, Lockheart, Zalente, and Ghostly International labelmate Quickly, Quickly. “Beautiful BLACK” opens with cinematic grandeur, an intricate jazz composition with striking trumpet flourishes, it plays like a rediscovered ‘60s film score, reverent and sweeping, a tribute to Black beauty and resilience, a celebration of culture. “One Hand Washes The Other” features Philadelphia rapper lojii, with both MCs weaving between each other’s verses over a soulful, minimalist backdrop. Their interplay is effortless, grounded in mutual respect and lyrical dexterity. “Crossroad(s)” leans more heavily into boom-bap but is elevated by live instrumentation and jazz motifs. It’s a moment of internal reckoning, where choices echo across time. Then there’s “Firefly,” featuring Vanilla Sundae Cocoa Sunset, which softens the pace with shimmering neo-soul textures, romantic, weightless, and intimate. On “Manuva(s),” Joe Armon-Jones returns with his signature jazz-fusion energy. The track is both vulnerable and defiant, with Gumbani’s verses surging with quiet power. “Driftin’ (Interlude)” follows, a gentle exhale, with Pearl De Luna’s hushed vocals painting the air with melancholic sweetness—like a lullaby in slow motion. The album crescendos again with “Chase The Sunrise,” where Goya is joined by lojii, Fatima, and Yaya Bey. Together, they channel ancestral warmth and community strength over slow-burning soul. It’s a love letter to lineage—rap as an oral tradition, reimagined with grace. The “Quiz” interlude, featuring Eet It Off Me, is a fleeting moment of experimental whimsy—playful yet tantalizing. I’d like to have heard this expand further, but at just over a minute, it vanishes leaving you wanting more. “Lizards/Dancin’ With The Devil” is dense, shifting through moods and tempos like chapters in a novel. Jaydon Clover and The Hotel contribute soulful textures that swirl around Goya’s focused, deliberate delivery. Then, “Mind, Body, Spirit” arrives as an understated finale. Franky Bones not only produces but lends his voice, while Seafood Sam brings a grounded calm to close out the record. Warlord of the Weejuns is Goya’s most accomplished work yet—impeccably crafted, deeply rooted, and unshakably confident. Threads of affirmation, self-worth, and Black heritage — manifesting knowledge and power from within — run throughout Warlord of the Weejuns. Goya really has set the standard for jazz/hip-hop crossover.