When someone says, “I remember when,” it is usually tied to either a good memory or a rough one. Pdstrn and Sholz just dropped their EP — Rock, Paper, Scissors — and, ironically, I’m kicking off this review with the last track, Memories.
Although, the guest verse from Ayo Maff on Letter 222 Dele spiked my dopamine levels and brought a wave of satisfaction, Memories struck on a whole different level. If you’ve listened to Pdstrn before, you can probably imagine that deep baritone, paired with bars that cut to the bone, and his signature “Ajeh” tag wrapping it all up. And this time is no different. This just goes to show that Pdstrn is a storyteller through and through, speaking about his experiences and journey.
On Memories, the last song on Rock, Paper, Scissors, he takes us back to those late nights and early mornings, reliving a bittersweet grind. In his words, “I remember when Mr. Leo chased me, le wa kuro n le but I didn’t go. Leave early, break in late night and he didn’t know.” I can’t help but wonder: where was he going so early? Maybe I’ll get the chance to ask him someday but for now, I assume he was sneaking off to a recording studio, hustling hard, maybe working low-wage jobs, and trying to make it by any means necessary. Whatever it was, it was hustle, pure and simple.
Seeing Pdstrn rise from those experiences to create Rock, Paper, Scissors, his debut EP, is inspiring. After listening to all seven tracks, I picked “Memories” and “Letter 222 Dele” as my personal favorites. Got the Spotify link right here, and I promise—if you play the snippet, you’ll be saving the full project and rooting for Pdstrn.
