With Shaolin Jazz, a smooth yet forceful EP, Cape Town-based hip-hop artist Camo achieves a special feat as he reveals the struggles and hustles of life while praising the one thing that kept him going: hip-hop. Even though the story of a hustler-turned-rapper is hardly new, what keeps Shaolin Jazz intriguing is the language he uses to tell this gritty tale. Whether employing clever wordplay on "Giv Me More" or  creating vivid imagery on "Galaxy ft. PHFat collaboratorNonku Phiri," Camo proves himself to be a thoughtful and creative lyricist. As the Ill Skillz-featuring "Hip Hop Jones" shows, though, he's also production-minded. With heavy drums and a sharp horn jitter that runs throughout, "Hip Hop Jones" reaches the street granduer of A$AP Rocky's "1 Train" but stands on its own as a dark yet ultimately affirming portrait of urban strife and resilience. Commenting on Shaolin Jazz, Camo says, "I didn't want to conform to the current local hip-hop scene. The hip-hop platform is global and I want to touch like-minded people across the world. I want it to be different and offer a Cape Town Sound as my offering." Listen to Shaolin Jazz below.

>>>Watch Ill Skillz & Camo’s Cape Town Street Anthem "Hip Hop Jones"