Students swarmed like flies to get their hands on sophomore Ezra Blair’s first mixtape, He Is Real Lite, when it was released during finals last semester. When I first heard a student had released a rap mixtape, I was skeptical, expecting the usual unoriginal drum machine beats and mindlessly cocky lyrics about crime, girls and money. But the 14-year-old former New Yorker who skipped two grades before coming to KHS surprised everyone with a unique ability to combine clever lyricism and well-placed backbeats to create an epic “I’m gonna make my mark” feel.

The mixtape features six tracks, all by Ezra, (or E2K, the name he recorded the mixtape under) featuring his 21-year-old brother on “DGC” and “Running/Trayvon Martin.” Every track seems to loop back to Ezra’s desperate need to have a huge legacy, but a large variety in the tempo of his songs keeps each track entertaining and unique.

The messages in Ezra’s songs air on the cliche side, but just when you think the lyrical content will never change, the sophomore slaps you in the face with the Interlude “Running/Trayvon Martin” and easily transitions from cocky to impactful. The track features his brother as vocals, and the two create a thoughtfully challenging song about the death of Trayvon Martin.

Maybe the most prominent feature of the mixtape is Ezra’s uncanny ability to balance arrogant, witty quips with powerful, awe-inspiring statements of power. Yes, the teen’s barely post-puberty voice does clash with lines like, “When I spit I make a flood so great, Noah better watch out,” but he recovers with witty and almost self-condescending lines like, “I’m going to carry on like light luggage.” Ezra’s personality aids his songs greatly, compensating for the sometimes boringly repetitive lyrics about legacy.

Ezra’s first mixtape may have had ups and downs, but the content and lyrics were far beyond anything expected of a high school student. If the sophomore keeps pushing his limits with lyrics and content, I have faith his abilities will be recognized beyond the bubble of KHS.