Georgetown’s men’s basketball team has more than just a new coach; Jessie Govan, the Hoyas’ junior center, is trying his hand at rap under the name Finesse Jess. Jess has released three original songs on his Soundcloud account, FinesseJess, all of which fall into the popular “soundcloud rap” style, featuring trap-inspired beats and uncaring vocal delivery.
Finesse Jess’ most popular song, “D.O.C X Finesse Jess,” is a romp through Govan’s life. After letting D.O.C—Marcus Derrickson, Govan’s Hoyas teammate—take the mic, Govan tackles the song’s second act, in which he explains what type of women he prefers, reveals his plan to “get the ring” and then leave, and boasts “I be hooping, I be rapping, man I do this shit with ease.”
His flow is forceful and lyrics rakish, projecting the confidence of a basketball player at a big-name school, but he spits urgently, at times losing his footing over the quick beat. Free of a chorus, Govan keeps his song simple, a notion reinforced by the song’s barebones and unadorned beat. Additionally, he shows awareness of the history of rap, referencing Lil Wayne’s now infamous line “real g’s move in silence like lasagna” from 2010’s “6 Foot 7 Foot.”
Finesse Jess released two other songs, “Tag N” and “Roll in Peace” which offer similar content to “D.O.C X Finesse Jess.” “Tag N” is largely a chorus-driven track, as is common for Soundcloud rap, abandoning Govan’s traditionally chorusless style. Altogether, Jessie Govan appears to be having a good time as Finesse Jess, bringing another facet to Georgetown’s beloved basketball team.
