Vince Staples and Kenny Beats have united, once again. The Long Beach rapper returned this week with the release of his self-titled album. It marks his first project in four years since the release of 2018's FM! but he remained relatively low-key with the exception of a few releases.
Vince's eponymous album is appropriately a self-portrait of the world around him. On "SUNDOWN TOWN," the rapper returns to his stomping grounds of Long Beach, reflecting on the harrowing reality of gangbanging. Kenny Beats morphs smooth, soulful vocals into a warped, psychedelic sample that helps set the tone Vince's dystopian view of Long Beach. "I don't fear no man, only Allah got the upper hand/ Lost too many friends, to the down the streets, I can't pretend," Vince raps on the record.
Quotable Lyrics
Had a .38 in the eighth, moved on 68th
Then they put us out, we was sleepin' on my auntie couch
Then she put us out, stomach growlin', stealin' from the Ralph's
If I pull it out, I'ma send a n***a to the clouds
About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years.
Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021.
Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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