Jake Miller Displays Singular Focus Throughout "A Million Lives"

Jake Miller, a 21 year-old rapper hailing from Weston, Florida, doesn't bring anything earth-shattering to his genre with "A Million Lives" the second single from his debut album "Us Against Them". Unless you count a focus on matters removed from the gangsta lifestyle that reached a crest in the '90s. Kudos to him, his production crew, his wardrobe consultant, or whoever was responsible for bathing him in a sparkling pool of sunshine melody. All the man has to do is insert himself in a grouping of stamina testing real life situations and bang...defenses come down. The courage to embrace the warmth of another person comes into sharp view. In the first verse, Jake tells the story of Nikki, a girl whose cancer diagnosis jettisoned her dancer lifestyle. She tells him how much his music meant to her, right down to the very act of keeping her heart beating. The chorus consists of Jake explaining that, no, he hasn't made a million dollars, but that's not really such a sticking point when you consider the millions of lives he's touched. So many faces seen. So many hands shaken. The camaraderie of his fellow man represents the life force which propels him to highs that seem to grow higher with every passing hour. In verse 2, it's bullying that takes center stage. A 7th grader named Dillon is being mercilessly picked on. In this day and age,thanks to technology permeating pretty much every aspect of our lives, the young can't even count on that as an escape from the cruelty their peers can be capable of. Once again, Jake's rapping is the bright light which allows Dillon to reach for confidence, for the inner strength to somehow co-exist with his tormentors. Being a person who wears glasses, I sympathize with bullies who have this penchant for breaking them. Glasses can make you a really easy target. In verse 3 Sami's the name of the girl who shares her appreciation for Jake's influence. She and her brother listened to him every day until the day he passed away. The music gives her a special feeling, as if her brother was still by her side. So many quality songs stem from simplicity, from a genuine uncluttered message, from the belief that there aren't a million layers of bullshit separating the artist from the listener. Keep in mind that Jake's just getting started in his career. There's nothing wrong with a song that is the mental equivalent of a hearty hello split into three thoughtful mini-dramas. He wants to get started building that all-important fan base. We'll see if he's versed in Greek theater at some future point. For right now Jake merely wants to open his arms to the general public for a reassuring hug. Here's to Jake for having the common decency to think about giving us all a light bulb to make the darkness less of an ominous presence. He sure has laid out a smartly measured blueprint for whatever future success comes his way.