Richard Smith is a 25 year old artist from Long Beach, California who is affectionately known as Tauvaa. The story behind “Meauli Boy” is the tale of a half Black, half Samoan male growing up in a city where division amongst different races lead to dangerous conditions he had to face on a daily basis growing up in a gang infested city. In Samoan culture, the term Meauli means “Black”, and being that he was looked at as different because of his mixed race by family and friends alike, identifies with the name “Meauli Boy”.
On his latest project “Meauli Boy”, Tauvaa gives you a first person account of a young man who struggles to fit in, until finally embracing the fact that he stands out. On the intro track “Top Of My Game” Tauvaa exudes confidence, flexing over a spacey instrumental. On “Thank God” he really gets in his bag as he wakes up and thanks God for another day and uses his extraordinary God given flow to show his gratitude. All 4 Da $$$ is another standout as Tauvaa spews hustler raps over a funky sample creating a get money anthem for years to come. While the project starts out with braggadocios energy and packed with G-Funk influence such as on “Strap Out”, it ends on a more humble and serious themes with songs like “Cold Truth” where he says “Momma can’t teach the boy how to be a man, running to them dollars like the boy got a plan”. The project ends with a heartfelt “Outro” where he raps over a sentimental piano instrumental, holding nothing back. Tauvaa is on a sandy beach, facing the Pacific Ocean, etching his name “Meauli Boy” in the sand and daring anyone to try and wash it out.
https://album.link/i/1532397978
