Joell Ortiz & L'Orange Put Their "Doors Up" On New Single

Joell Ortiz is gearing up for the release of his new album Signature with producer L'Orange with fire single after fire single. His latest following the excellent "OG" is "Doors Up," a laid-back, sparse, but nonetheless engaging and smooth piece of minimal boom-bap. Lyrically, it's more reflections on his rising status in the game, coming from the lowest lows to high highs, and a slick collection of boisterous bars and wordplay. Of course, it's still very much tapped into the streets that Ortiz came from, and that's a commendably gruff quality of a lot of his music. Through allusions to both physical and mental evolution through simple but effective comparisons, this is a chill but impressive cut to relax to.

Moreover, the production is based on just three key elements that compliment each other: a bassy synth, wailing guitars, and measured percussion. To start with the latter, it's just a very simple kick and snare pattern that sounds crisp, deep, and weighty enough to keep you bobbing your head. In addition, choppy synth additions give the track a woozier feel, even though they only pop up on occasion here. On the other hand, the guitar licks here are brief and minimal when it comes to notes, but still quite powerful and soulful. To top it off, everything comes into the mix with a rough but still vibrant mid-fi sheen for maximum atmosphere for Joell Ortiz to float over.

Joell Ortiz's "Doors Up" With L'Orange: Stream

Meanwhile, one aspect of these singles that some fans might not realize is that these are actually remakes of tracks from Ortiz's 2021 album, Autograph. Even though they're technically older tracks, L'Orange's production breathes new life into these bars in compelling ways. As such, Signature should make for a creative moment for the lyricist, and one that pleases newcomers and fans alike. If you haven't heard "Doors Up" yet, you can find it on your preferred streaming service and check out some notable lines below. Also, log back into HNHH for the latest news and updates on Joell Ortiz and more great hip-hop each week.

Quotable Lyrics
Bottles waiting, champagne glasses
Model-looking waitress can't wait to get it crackin'
The things b***hes do for that backstage access
Never kiss and tell, but Joell has a actress or two