Dynamic duo, Ron Oneal & SV Skee (otherwise known as OandS4ever) strike as new-age progenitors of cocaine rap. They have a repertoire consisting of thumping, drug-induced bangers; and that rep is only magnified with the release of the latest single, “Kilo”. “Kilo” is an ode to hustling; complete with an addictive chorus and narcotic instrumental. 808s slide smoothly across the bassline of this record, surrounded by hats, claps, and a menacing synth-key arrangement. SV Skee, through a syrupy surge of autotune, raps within the hook “They just want the money from the Kilo”, letting you know exactly where his and his brethren’s priorities lie: getting rich. And the only thing more guttural than the ambition for winning, is their delivery on each of their verses. Both emcees attack the beat in a blend of aggressive snarls, and ravenous rapping, showing that this song can not only be felt in the club, but likewise on every block in the country. Especially the Lower East Side, Manhattan ones they hail from. With the way “Kilo” is blowing up thus far, thanks as well to the visual they recently released, these brother New Yorkers are about to find themselves pleasing an entirely different clientele.
Texan rapper, Kokaine Karter, wants all of us to “HOLL UP” with his latest, enchanting single. Having been born and raised in two separate Lonestar cities, Karter combines the leaned-out, autotune swag of Houston with the grittiness of Dallas, and jumps out that cauldron blazing hot with rhythm and flow. Featuring guest artist T2, the record is incredibly suited for the club. Its ominous melody, matched with the groove of well-placed kicks and 808s, creates an atmosphere that will have you itching to escape your seat. If that’s not enough, however, his lyrics and flow certainly will be. In smooth breezes of melody and autotune, both artists bless the beat with addictive cadences and street parables. As much as they have indeed crafted a party record, suitable for setting any nightly event on fire, they never abandon their lifestyles. The grittiness of their attitudes and surroundings are matched with the lavishness of their desires, which fuse in a sea of melody and trap verses, to create one, irrefutable banger. “HOLL UP” is an excellent, club-ready release from Kokaine Karter. Makes it impossible to overlook him among the list of Texas’s talented.
Lakeland, Florida new-age rapper, Ayo.! Ciera works smart – not hard, on her latest single, “On the Phone”, off upcoming mixtape, “Overlooked Underrated”. From calling plugs to calling shots, Ciera glides across a spooky, Big E Beatz instrumental, letting us know exactly why her monthly bill’s so high. The track begins with a chord progression and synth sound reminiscent of the early, Chicago Drill scene, afore diving head first into a ghoulish melody of pads and keys. A roll of hi-hats take to the instrumental, blanketed by the pound of 808s and snappy snares. Before you know it, you are engulfed in a nightmare of a beat; with Ciera’s flow haunting every crack and corner. She is relentless with her rhymes; sailing the beat almost effortlessly, in between bars about her most cherished device. With the energy she brings on this record, Ciera has undoubtedly created something that can house parties nationwide. If this joint is any indication of what she has in store for us with her upcoming mixtape, we’ll be “On The Phone” seeing a lot more of her this year.
“Gettin' money, money, money on the block.” are the first words you'll hear of St. Louis's own, Cocaine Black, on his latest, sixteen-track opus, “Bless the Money”. No more than twenty seconds after pressing play, you're already ensnared in a world of wealth, drugs, and ambition; elements that have earned STL its fitting, street moniker, HuSTLe City. Through his drug-dealing chronicles, powered by a collection of ominous, trap beats, Cocaine Black shows that he undoubtedly deserves that city's key. After all, he knows exactly what to do with every other key he lays his hands on. Such is the core subject of “Bless the Money”: Black's attitude of amassing favor and fortune, by any means necessary. He conveys this message through a display of talent and artistry certainly equivalent to any skillset he's gained from his life in the streets. From the jump, the Detroit-based rapper shows us he has a prodigious pen for hooks; laying some of the most infectious choruses (“Gettin Money”, “D'usse”, “Leanin In The Whip”), I have heard on a “street rap” album in quite some time. He knows almost expertly how to bend his cadence to create a particular rhythm for his choruses, and lyrically glide through that rhythm effortlessly. On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are joints (“Trappin [feat. P.Hustle 314]”, “9Block”, “Cocaine Australia”) wherein Cocaine Black focuses more on going on a rap rampage than being catchy. These are the spots on the album that all of that gutter, HuSTLe City energy is at its pinnacle; and Black allows himself to freely unleash it in a dark, Midwestern drawl. Are there moments where his two worlds collide? Certainly. Tracks such as “Rat Pack” and the album's outro, “My Momma Told Me”, are perfect examples of Black blending his talent for bars and hooks. The same way he has merged his love for music and the streets to create one of 2018's most impeccable gangster-trap parables.
Catch a wave! With a name like iLuvXans, you know this is gonna be fun music! His new song "Ciroc" is a new-age banger with a smooth dream-like beat by Jotgl. iLuvXans is an up&coming artist from Charlotte. Follow his growing movement today.
The up and comer Grisly Bk is back at it with a hot trap track -Robe On A Pope- music video. The hard gangsta music brought to mind The Notorious B.I.G.’s debut Ready to Die, unleashed back in 1994. The track highlights open-air crack deals, robberies at gunpoint on the A train and shootouts with the NYPD.
The Brooklyn, New York’s rap artist Grisly BK has successfully brought the past into the present with his style. The superior mix constitutes content from the past that’s still relevant at the present. I like Grisly’s ability to embrace emotions as he delivers this track, he able to tone remarkably well yet the track is damn aggressive.
If you’re hanging on the fence about this talented artist, be sure to check his E.P, two mix tapes and two singles to get a glimpse of this lyricist. This track portrays an artist that grew up on gangsta music in the crack era. It’s without a doubt that he listened to guys like Kool G Rap, I’m glad we have someone representing Brooklyn so damn hard. This track is exquisitely gritty as it gives you the impression of walking down a dark street with a gun at the back of your head, yet you feel like wildin out to it.