Competitive sports are a form of entertainment that, as a whole, afford individuals more anonymity. Even when you make it to the Olympics, you’ll probably not be a household name unless you prove yourself the best among the hundreds of others you’re up against. An Olympian competing in the long jump and triple jump, Will Claye’s rapping became evident with his feature on YG’s ‘IDGAF’ off his Just Re’d Up 2 mixtape. This feature secured Will just as much exposure as exposé, with the verse gaining him a wider online audience to cater to.
Will Claye’s Kill Will EP is an entry that feels reminiscent of the late Nipsey Hustle’s work. His latest project is appropriately modern and crisp, with lyrics that relish in a blunted sense of defiance. There’s a buried frustration that carries much of the content, but Will’s writing stays pointedly on the surface – never cutting down into the specifics, but still feeling informed by personal truth. If you’re looking for hustle music, this tape takes you there: there’s a little vulnerability, but most of the project’s runtime gives way to hard-hitting bars.
This is all until my personal favorite, ’12am on Baseline.’ The bobbing soundscape will be one easily accessible to those who favor the sounds of Jeremih, Partynextdoor, and Lyfe Harris. The vocals on the song switch between both singing and rapping from Claye, and it benefits from this duality. It’s a chiller song and a great closer.
It’s clear Will Claye is still in search of his lyrical and even musical identity, but his range is there and his story is unique. Knowing he’s still got time to do both, this project is worth taking in for fans of the more commercial release.
Words by Luke Deitz
