Gangsta rap and war stories has seen better days. It’s become coopted. Dr. Dre is a grandpa. 50 Cent is a movie star. Ice Cube produces movies for kids. Their heir apparents just want to make hits, and they’ll sacrifice content at the altar of Pharrel to do it. I don’t hear a lot of gutter, street, grimey stuff that says anything new anymore. It’s like hair metal: There’s a few good ones if you’re willing to dig through miles of shit.
Lucki Eck$ is one of the good ones. Or at least he is right now, that he’s just got a mixtape out and no big record deal.
He’s just 17 but he knows his way around a verse, mixing depth and metaphors and humor: “I mixed with all these troubles, so I tug of war with my safety, but you can pull me away for nothing, because I love it.” “Many drama just my thing….Many treat me like a king, but I don’t see why….” “Got a wild bitch/She keep that pistol by her tan line.” And he’s got real style: A laid back, slow delivery that doesn’t sound high or stupid–instead, it sounds purposeful. It’s like that old line, instead of running down the hill and getting one sheep, Lucki will walk down and get them all. He’s got direction. And he’s smart. Whip smart.
Truly great stuff.
