2020 Vision – T UGNA – O.M.G Exclusive!

So this is a first here on O.M.G. and it’s finally here (and we actually managed to keep it a secret too)!!! We’ve been very excited about this post for a while now but we are very proud to introduce all our readers to our first artist exclusive! Today, we are listening to and reviewing T UGNA’s new single ‘2020 Vision.’ We were beyond excited when he gave us the privilege of an exclusive listen to his new single which you can pre-save now or buy on Google Play or Apple Music on March 27th. Of course, we always champion Irish music and T UGNA is a Roscommon based rapper and fits nicely into our Homegrown Heroes category and we are always so happy to help any and all Irish artists.

So, first and foremost, we want to introduce you to T UGNA. After being featured on Irish music blog, Nialler9, up-and-coming Irish hip-hop artist, T UGNA returns bigger and better than ever with “2020 Vision”. T UGNA is an artist whose music would be enjoyed by those who are fans of ScHoolboy Q, Eminem, JyellowL and Big Sean, to name just a few. He continuously works on improving his style in order to create the highest-quality music possible for his fans and aims to set himself apart from everyone else in the fast-growing Irish hip-hop scene today with his latest offering. You can find T UGNA’s Instagram, Twitter and his Youtube here if you’re looking to follow him before his new single drops on the 27th.

So, without further ado, here is our very first artist exclusive review!

2020 Vision

So, usually this is a genre of music that I generally leave to Niamh to review because I tend to compare it to American hip-hop but, rather than sitting back, I’ve decided to be fair and give the song a shot (in case you haven’t guessed it’s Emma here). My initial thoughts are that this song emphasises the beat rather than any sort of full orchestration and it works rather well for the concept. Thankfully, T UGNA doesn’t change his accent in the song like I have heard some artists do and this works well in his favour because he utilises a very clever rhyming device using his native accent to ensure that words rhyme even though, when spoken, they may not or wouldn’t rhyme or would upset the natural flow of the song. This is something I’ve seen Eminem do for years but it isn’t hugely apparent in Irish hip-hop in my opinion. His influences are apparent but T UGNA utilizes the accented rhyming that’s common in American hip-hop but rather than Americanizing his pronunciations he maintains his Irish accent, maintains his rhyming scheme and doesn’t dilute his message using language that doesn’t match the message he intends to convey. The opening rhythm isn’t made with what sounds like a traditional drum sample but it has a sound more similar to steel drums which adds a different flavour to the track and makes the song stand out when compared to others in the genre. This track seems to be T UGNA’s latest magnum opus with the line “2020 Vision I see how I’m winning” showing that there seems to be big plans in 2020 to make an impact in his genre and set him apart from his peers and I will admit that this track does sound very different to what the Irish hip-hop genre has offered before. This track also draws heavily from T UGNA’s personal experiences in life and shows his aim to improve and grow rather than drawing inspiration from foreign situations which he has no experience with making it a very real, honest track. This song is a confident proclamation that T UGNA has found his sound and that the future is clear, you know like when you have 20-20 Vision (pun fully intended).

Overall, this track is a superb offering by the Roscommon native and, as of right now, I highly anticipate his future music releases to see if he can continue on his highly influenced yet very unique approach to music.

Now onto Niamh’s thoughts on ‘2020 Vision’ unfortunately, my wording won’t be as tremendous as Emma’s but hey, it is all about the music at the end of the day! As someone who began to dive a bit deeper into the Irish Hip Hop scene in September 2019, I don’t claim to be all knowing in this genre but, here are my opinions. 

When listening to ‘2020 Vision’ what message do you get? For me 2020 Vision can be seen in two different ways. Firstly, being the play on 2020 as 20-20 Vision. Looking back on previous music that was released in comparison to this song, T UGNA is onto something truly special! Also, I feel he is now a lot happier in the way he is creating his sound. Secondly, looking at ‘2020 Vision’ as here in the now and looking towards the future. It seems to hold the promise that from here on out that he is going to be truer to himself and his own individual sound!

With the meaning of the song to me looked at; let’s break this song down into the aspects that I adored the most shall we?

The aspect of the song that jumps out to me the most: THAT BEAT! Hear me out all, the beat begins at the very beginning of the song and it had me hooked from my first listen. It will make you bop from the beginning of the song to the end of the song. It complements the lyrics perfectly and on a personal level it is one of my favourite sounds on the Irish Scene at the moment! 

Onto the Lyrics next because, let’s be real, the lyrics are the soul of any song and tells you a lot about the artist. The chorus is going to hook you quickly, it is easy to remember and you will be rapping along by your second listen. I, personally, love the personal development journey we hear about in the verses. Special shout out to the second verse. This song is all about musical growth by T UGNA himself. Something truly wasn’t working in the past for him and with this storytelling journey within ‘2020 Vision’ you are brought on the journey with him! 

In comparison to T UGNA’s previously two singles, I think he has finally found his voice. After reading this review you may be influenced to go check out T UGNA’s social media which I urge you to head straight to his Instagram HERE. But you won’t find any of his previous singles out there. His previous releases can be summed up as being heavily influenced by the American Hip Hop and Trap scene. Although there were both solid tracks by T UGNA, I felt that they were heavily influenced by what was already out there in this ever-exploding music genre. However, ‘2020 Vision’ is completely stand alone and it seems he has finally found his voice and niche of where he wants to go with his music. I 100% preferred this song to his other songs and it is more the type of music I listen to within this genre! Looking forward to seeing where T UGNA brings his music next because, for him, ‘2020 Vision’ is truly next level in comparison to his older music.

Finishing thoughts on this number: I honestly think ‘2020 Vision’ is T UGNA’s best release to date. The beats, the message behind the lyrics and the true Irish feel of the track itself meshes incredibly well. His sound, in comparison to the rest of the Irish Hip Hop and Trap scene stands alone by itself! It is a solid release to start off his 2020 year of music and I look forward to blaring this song in the car as well as my room on my ever-growing Irish Hip Hop music playlist. 

Of course, this is just our thoughts on the track and we always recommend that you check out the tunes for yourself and let us know what your thoughts on the track are but, for now, stay happy and stay healthy!