It seems like all of the most talented modern rappers focus on speed, precision, and power in their verses. There’s certainly something to be said for a rapper who can spit lightning-fast lines and pump listeners up, but a song can be powerful without hyping the crowd up. With ‘Untitled,’ Isaiah Rashad and GoldLink take control with a slow, grinding beat that hypnotizes listeners rather than smacking them in the face. The beat is reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Spiteful Chant,’ but Rashad and GoldLink’s lyrical styles are completely different from Kendrick. While Kendrick’s vocals are full of emotion and passion, Rashad and GoldLink both treat their vocals more like an instrumental track. They control their voices and their flows to add an extra layer of musicality, focusing on their technique and lyrical structure rather than trying to send a clear message. This is especially true of GoldLink, who you might recognize from our list of 8 Rappers You Should Be Listening To. GoldLink’s verse fits so perfectly with the beat that his rhymes just become part of the music.
While Isaiah Rashad’s verse is just as smooth as GoldLink’s, his lyrics have a little more soul. This might be expected from the man who gave us The Sun’s Tirade just last month. Rashad gets introspective with lines like:
Yeah I remember that, yeah I remember that
Mama why ya got me rockin’ Sketchers
I’m a product of the product
and the product bought a Lexus.
This is THE track to zone out to right now. The slow, grinding beat (about 70 bpm) combines with a soulful violin track and Rashad and GoldLink’s silky smooth lyrics to create a song that just washes over you like the tide on a calm beach. Take a listen for yourself and let us know what you think in the comments.
