Album Review: Jacob Latimore – ‘C3’

With the world still on lockdown due to the current Coronavirus, one thing for sure is that “quarantine-and-chill” has been a very real thing. To take advantage of the moment, Jacob Latimore just dropped his third studio-album and the finale to his Connection trilogy, simply titled C3.

The album starts off bedroom-ready on “Get U Alone,” which finds the 23 year-old ready to make his move with no interruptions whatsoever. That same energy carries onto the next track, “Body On Me,” but that doesn’t represent the full extent of the project. The album goes through cycles of every relationship issue nowadays, from the “honeymoon phase” to the uncertainty of the future. 

“Only if you live what you say, we wouldn’t be arguing every day,” sings the Milwaukee-native on the hook of “Live What You Say,” his collaboration with another underrated R&B newcomer, Toni Romiti. The album flows like a movie going into the next scene as the track transitions into the next one, “Circles,” which could be another toxic relationship anthem finding Jacob coming to terms that his relationship has ended yet always wanting that old thang back. “2 Long” is another one where his girl has moved on to another guy after being tired of his games and the runaround for far too long. Things get real on “Mind Games,” a duet with his girlfriend and Empire actress, Serayah, where the two sing about the phase of wanting to be with that person but not really shooting your shot for the opportunity to happen from both a male and female perspective.

C3 isn’t all about the toxic traits and bedroom numbers. Jacob makes sure he gets his girl anything she needs as evident on the tracks “Fashion” and “Don’t Wanna Leave” featuring rapper Mulatto. Underneath it all, there’s a sense of vulnerability mixed in as shown on the closing track and single “Can’t Win For Losing,” which features newcomer 19 year-old Louisville, KY rapper 2KBABY, has Jacob recounting humble beginnings and appreciating all that he has come from.

For those that need to get familiar with Jacob’s discography are in for a treat, as the 35-track project also includes both his Connection and Connection2 albums, released in 2016 and 2019, respectively. C3 is a grown R&B album catered to today’s climate and audience with its trap-infused bedroom bangers and relationship issues most can relate to. Jacob has shown through the years that he’s no longer the little kid we met on 106 & Park back in 2005. He’s a young man doing music on his own terms with a growing audience ready to listen.

C3 is now available on streaming services and digital music retailers via his own imprint Jacob’s Ink, Inc. and EMPIRE. You can also catch the actor/singer continuing his starring role on the upcoming season 3 of Showtime’s The Chi, premiering on June 21st at 9PM ET/PT.