Question’s “Just Might” is a powerful reminder

Local rap label No Disguise Music continues a superlative run.

It’s not a secret that rap is under-served in Madison. At almost every level, the genre has had to face a number of daunting uphill battles to gain any amount of traction. Unless you’re confidently and comfortably tapped into the local rap scene, chances are you’re missing out on a lot of exciting music. Events like Mad Lit are an exceedingly welcome temporary salve for this dynamic, but there clearly remains work to be done when it comes to platforming and highlighting local rap efforts with any amount of firmness or consistency.

A recent run of exceptional releases from local label No Disguise Music makes it painfully clear that the issue isn’t—and has never been—a lack of good music. Question’s “Just Might” is currently headlining that run of releases, which includes a full album from Flame The Ruler as well as two standalone singles (including “One Of One,” which features Question). On “Just Might,” released on September 28, Question takes full command. “Question / I just might / Treat a motherfucker how they treat me when they see me / I just might / Cardi B a motherfucker / Yeah, don’t you play me,” sneers the emcee at the top of the first verse. Wordplay, venomous delivery, and a pleasantly chilled-out beat coalesce into a track that prods listeners’ intrigue and rewards their attention. 

On the production end, heavy bass hits counterbalance a gorgeous fingerpicked acoustic guitar sample, and a steady electronic backbeat keeps everything solidly on the rails. Aggression and serenity act in a paradoxical tandem, creating an atmosphere that comes across as both enticing and vaguely threatening. The uneasiness that’s central to the appeal of “Just Might” is further bolstered by Question’s lyrical prowess. “Got a lot of pain / Try to hide it,” reveals Question towards the end of the track’s startlingly introspective hard rap section—which is brief, but potent, and sandwiched between two extended choruses. It’s a startling enough admission to keep listeners on their toes, and beautifully complements the instinctive nervousness of the musical backdrop.

Auto-tune and pitch-shifting are layered over the vocals in the track’s sung chorus, which accentuates a call-and-response presentation. Question doesn’t make a false move across the two and a half minutes of “Just Might,” digging deep into the track’s insistent beckoning. The phrase “Just Might” gets extended and twisted into different forms on the track, with Question presenting it as part of a threat, part of a resigned pattern of behavior, and as an unlikely beacon of optimism. Whether it’s “Forward and reverse it,” “slow down, play my part,” or “shoot up to the stars,” the options for what Question “Just Might” do are rooted in a palpable sincerity that makes them feel believable.

“Just Might” is a clear-eyed clarion call for Madison’s musical landscape to start investing in—and rewarding—rap more frequently. The same can be said for Flame The Ruler’s recent The Wrath Of Flame. All of these releases should have exponentially more plays registered than the low counts currently showing on Soundcloud and YouTube, themselves an indictment of how much Madison has failed to platform two of the more consistent artists in the genre. There’s a whole world to be celebrated, and it’s beyond time local venues, publications (Tone Madison included), and promoters started pursuing ways to meaningfully shift the disheartening narrative around Madison’s relationship with the genre.