Ray Vaughn Builds "Sandcastles" With Ab-Soul On New Single

BYGabriel Bras Nevares3.6K Views
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The TDE duo came through with an energetic, boastful, and heavy new track.

Ray Vaughn tapped TDE labelmate Ab-Soul for a new track, "Sandcastles." Moreover, both MCs deliver impassioned, emphatic, and high-impact verses over a heavy banger beat. With a new project coming soon from the recent signee, Vaughn might just make his big splash this year.

INDIO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 23: Rapper Ray Vaughn performs on the Sahara Stage during Weekend 2, Day 2 of the 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 23, 2022 in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)

Furthermore, the last we heard from the Long Beach native was back in August of 2022 with the Isaiah Rashad-assisted "Dog House." On that track, Vaughn matched Rashad's often low-key but intoxicating delivery over a smooth beat. This time around, it seems he's boasting and matching the energy of one of TDE's premier MCs.

In fact, the California label has a lot to celebrate recently. Moreover, Ab-Soul just dropped his long-awaited album Herbert to critical acclaim last December. While Ray Vaughn isn't featured on that project, this new single displays some strong chemistry between their performance styles. Both have their energy on high, command fast and aggressive flows with ease, and add a lot of conviction to the track.

Meanwhile, the instrumental is a mid-tempo banger with heavy bass, sharp snares, and eerie piano chords. For those enamored by this beat, producer Wallis Lane worked with the likes of Mac Miller, Drake, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and many more. Even if it falls into an engaging bounce assisted by the MCs' triplet flows, you could remix that melody into some creepy stuff easily. Throughout the verses, the instrumental relies on muted plucked strings and ethereal synth pad samples to switch things up.

Still, what did you think of Ray Vaughn's newest single with Ab-Soul, "Sandcastles"? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments and peep some standout lines from the track below. Also, if you haven't heard it yet, you can find the song on your preferred streaming service. As always, check back in with HNHH for the best new drops in hip-hop.

Quotable Lyrics

The lil' homie got five hundred when he ran it up off EDD
A year later, he back broke, robbin' white folks on Beverly
All F on my report card, got a list full of felonies
Better learn to choose your words better, that's the quickest way to put your life in jeopardy

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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