Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment's Surf is a diverse collection of sounds ranging from downtempo jazz to upbeat, theatrical hip hop. The crew is undoubtably influenced by tons of different artists, but who are they?
First and foremost, you can tell that the SOX was influenced by the cast of features that helped them make the album. J. Cole's consciousness, Erykah Badu's soulfulness, Migos' modern swagger, and Busta Rhymes' spitfire are all present on the album, and not just when they themselves are unleashing it.
We can't be sure of exactly who influenced Surf, but there are some uncanny similarities between the sounds Chance and gang used on the album and sounds we know from past music. From worldly rhythms to trippy trumpets, here's an idea of where Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment were acquiring inspiration while they made the album.