E One Letter – "Now or Never" (2009)

E One Letter, hailing from Fort Washington, Maryland, adds another strong mixtape into the DMV circuit.  NOW OR NEVER (Volume 1) hits you with 17 tracks that at first glance might come off as unoriginal (Money Don’t Stop, My Fly) but don’t be fooled, this mix-tape has a real heart to it.  E One Letter has a sick flow, which is evident right off the bat in NOW OR NEVER:

I move with precision to avoid all collisions not to mention all the tension make em all wanna listen got em clinching makin money, make decisions, no provisions don’t be mad you bullshittin hit a J, then listen. (Couple Million or More)

This shit isn’t arrogance.  As an aspiring artist in Charlottesville, VA, I know what its like hearing everyone around you talking about how much money they’re going to get and why they should be getting paid, etc, etc. Sometimes its necessary as an emcee to give this kind of stern advice.  Especially because complaining, whining, and all other bull-shitting affects other people then the person who really just needs to hit a blunt and relax.

I look around see everybody stressin/they say it’s a recession/it’s only if you let it

Despite calling out those who don’t hustle properly, E One Letter remains positive and uplifting on most, if not all, of NOW OR NEVER.  His words move fluidly from auto-biographical anecdotes from his own personal struggles to the sites and sounds that he’s witnessed that most will vibe with.  The main focus of NOW OR NEVER highlights how a good attitude and undeniable work ethic keep ones (and more specifically, E One Letter’s) head up in the dog-eat-dog music industry.  In the opening track, "Success," E One Letter, when speaking on his grind thus far, claims:

If I could do it all again, I would probably do it twice, if you aint movin forward, then what you doin with your life?

E One Letter’s NOW OR NEVER never gets stale with its content.  How many artists make songs about spittin game?  Who cares.  The "Spittin game" track never bothers me unless the content is far fetched.  When an emcee boasts about pullin dimes, threesomes, and stealing girlfriends, they better have at LEAST the chain to back it up.  E One Letter’s girl tracks come off as realistic portrayals of the male experience.  On "Stand Out", E playfully details his type of chick:

I need a type that get cash, real fast Make it last, when she walk past, whip lash

E One Letter is also a gifted storyteller.   NOW OR NEVER’s best overall track is a gem entitled, "Court TV," a compelling story that narrates the paradoxes of standing trial when your moral code of the streets clashes with being under oath.  The story follows an acquaintance of E One Letter, who gets snagged by the cops unexpectedly for an investigation and ends up facing a steep charge: 25 years in prison.   Because of his pact not to snitch there is an internal struggle that takes place.  The song begs the question, "What would YOU do?"  E One Letters pacing of the verses effectively creates suspense.  The entire song,  you will be wondering how its all going to end.  The song attacks the main unspoken issue of the "Stop Snitchin" motto:

Easy to scream stop snitchin if it aint happened to you

NOW OR NEVER is a solid mixtape that shows of E One Letter’s skills in all areas.  You should definitely check him out, especially if you rep the growing DMV scene.  Since I rep DMV, I will support accordingly. You can listen to and download NOW OR NEVER here:

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