Reissue Review: JPEGMAFIA — I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU (DIRECTORS CUT)

Just like with the OFFLINE! version to his 2021 record LP!, JPEGMAFIA has now released what could be considered his original vision for 2024s I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU, albeit framed in a very different way. Where LP! (OFFLINE) replaced LP! as the canonic fourth JPEGMAFIA album, the I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU (DIRECTORS CUT) is merely perceived a reissue or rather a deluxe edition. It turns out to be a wise choice from Peggy since the original album is a lot more concise with a coherent artistic vision. Even if songs from the DIRECTORS CUT add anything new, they don't seem to be a perfect fit with this era's aesthetic specifically. The exception is Come & Get Me, which was featured on the deluxe vinyl pressings of I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU. The song brings to the table the album's rocking guitar riffs and combines them with beautiful, symphonic strings. It would go over well with songs like don't rely on other men, but still feels unique and different when it comes to its vibe, partly because of the sung outro that shows Peggy's vocals from a whole new side. Oddly, it only lands on an additional disc, instead of being incorporated into the original track listing like many other cuts (it is the only song from this Disc 2 that I could see making onto Disk 1). You see, the I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU (DIRECTORS CUT) does two things: It adds to the original track listing with seven songs and an intro, and it includes bonus material on a second disc. 

Let's start off with the expanded album. After a new 30s-intro before “i scream this in the mirror before i interact with anyone”, the first new-ish song is the lead-single of the DIRECTORS CUT. PROTECT THE CROSS is a song that grew on me hugely (*the version on the DIRECTORS CUT has an updated mix). Although I still think its production is a little weaker than that of the other Rap Rock tracks from the original album, it is a very solid track for this era and I'm glad it's out in the world. The same goes for Jordan Rules. I think it is a little stronger production-wise with a beat that keeps evolving over the course of the song, but it doesn't really add anything, nor does Peggy deliver any truly memorable moments. 

CULT STATUS is an extended version of the outro from New Black History produced by Flume – and honestly, I think this industrial, ear-piercing and heavy beat worked best as an instrumental outro akin to a breakdown section in a Rock song. With rapping over it, it is more disorienting than banging, although Peggy does a good job, even delivering a somewhat catchy chorus.

Now, the only major change made to the original track listing, excepting for intercepting it with new material, is the exclusion of JIHAD JOE and subsequent inclusion of the track COKE OR DOPE?. The change isn't that big, if you listen to COKE OR DOPE? though, as the song only switches out the first half of JIHAD JOE before the beat switch torward Rap Metal for something else. I don't think the song works quite as well like this, but that might be because I'm used to the original version. I'd rather have the new part expanded on though, since its wild beat is definitely the best instrumental piece of COKE OR DOPE?, reminiscent of something off of Peggy's second, breakout album Veteran.

After the three-track run from vulgar display of power to JPEGULTRA!, we get two new songs in a row. Firstly, a title track featuring Buzzy Lee, who is also on the original album's song Don't Put Anything On the Bible. i lay down my life for you is the most mellow song from this era and while the Buzzy Lee feature is stunning, even better than the one on Don't Put Anything On the Bible, it makes sense why this song was left out. The next song, Boy You Should Know!, is one of the highlights from the DIRECTORS CUT with a vocal sample that immediately catches the ear. Later on, it is combined with a bouncy Dance-beat that makes the song's first half one of the most accessible and danceable cuts from the I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU era. Another beat switch hits at the halfway mark though, but it doesn't make the song any worse.

Finally, the DIRECTORS CUT adds a new closing track, ALLAH, which is another highlight and a worthy closer, although i recovered from this from the original track listing does an even better job. Peggy's delivery on this song is outstandingly emotional and the song touches on some of the religious themes that already come up in other songs such as Exmilitary. “ALLAH” also features a hooky Lil Durk-sample as a chorus and some beautiful guitar playing in its intro. It's one of the most spacious and instrumentally stagnant (not in a bad way) tracks in the JPEGMAFIA discography.

The second disc of the album opens with a song JPEGMAFIA fans have long waited for. What the hip hop hell is this ? sees Peggy commenting on the established music industry rappers, most notably dissing their focus on being on top-lists and being nominated and given awards. It's an entertaining track with some cool beat ideas. After the next track Come & Get Me, the second disc only features some more typical bonus material, like a demo of a freestyle, which is very good, a shorter-than-2-minutes, simplistic Trap track with vocals only from feature guest FREAKYMAFIACULT and a short but sweet instrumental. The final two songs include the single version of don't rely on other men and a shortened version of JIHAD JOE from the original album. These tracks aren't anything essential to listen to and only a big plus for JPEGMAFIA fans, I'd say.

Second disc aside, it was a good decision from Peggy to trim I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU down to what we got in 2024. While there are lots of worthwhile, interesting and/or banging tracks to be found only on the DIRECTORS CUT, Peggy's vision becomes much clearer on the aesthetically coherent original album. Honestly, I wouldn't change anything when it comes to the decisions made and the rollout of this era. Even so, this deluxe edition is a best-case scenario. It's rare that artists release extended versions with so much thought put into them and so many finished, sophisticated and expansive (in the sense of: they do reveal something new about the original project and even go beyond what can be found on it and possibly in the artists catalogue as a whole) new cuts to be explored. Naturally, most of the songs of the DIRECTORS CUT aren't on the level of almost all of the songs from I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU, but as an extended version and with the new songs on their own evaluated as a new collection of JPEGMAFIA songs, this is without a doubt a great addition to the JPEGMAFIA catalogue and a perfect finish to the I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU era of his career.

Track listing & Song ratings

Disc 1:

1. I.S. 231 (Intro) | NR
2. i scream this in the mirror before i interact with anyone | 90
3. PROTECT THE CROSS | 90 ★
4. SIN MIEDO | 100 ★
5. I'll Be Right There | 100
6. Jordan Rules | 80
7. it's dark and hell is hot | 90
8. New Black History | 80
9. CULT STATUS | 80
10. don't rely on other men (album) | 100
11. COKE OR DOPE? | 70
12. vulgar display of power | 90
13. Exmilitary | 100 ★
14. JPEGULTRA! | 100
15. i lay down my life for you | 80
16. Boy You Should Know! | 90 ★
17. either on or off the drugs | 100 ★
18. loop it and leave it | 90
19. Don't Put Anything On the Bible | 90
20. i recovered from this | 100
21. ALLAH | 90

Disc 2:

1. What the hip hop hell is this ? | 90 ★
2. COME & GET ME | 90 ★
3. Bloodline Freestyle (2022 Demo) | 80
4. HATE | 60
5. TAKE AN (Instrumental) | NR
6. don't rely on other men (single) | 90
7. JIHAD JOE | 70