Two of the West’s best link up on a track that lives up to its name.
‘Hectic’ comes just a month after Manu Crooks first single of 2019, ‘Above Water’, and again showcases his star quality and flawless beat selection. Production on the track comes courtesy of Ryan Jacobs and has a late night Atlanta feel that both MCs ride effortlessly – a feat even more impressive given their sensibilities in different rap sub-genres. On the track, Manu Crooks wastes no time getting his message across, plainly stating the simple hook with assured ease before finessing a pair of perfectly measured verses. He barely breaks a sweat before J Emz snaps on his verse, issuing ominous threats with nonchalance.
While both artists reflect on real life experience and ambitions, part of what works so well on the track is the mix of fire and ice. Manu Crooks has that warmth (and it would be easy to insert a ‘Fuego’ joke right about here) with his melodic flow and ultra-quotable content, and J Emz has that cold streak where every word and every bar puts the listener on notice. Mixing genres and flavours, the monster collaboration not only showcases the diversity of music coming out of Australia right now but the depth and versatility of our homegrown rap talent. And coming from two artists at the front of the pack, pushing Australian music into the US and UK, it’s a serious statement of intent. Give ‘Hectic’ a listen below:
The track comes amidst controversy around the cancellation of OneFour’s national headline tour yesterday. Not dissimilarly to their British drill counterparts, OneFour have faced police censorship as authorities continue to apply pressure on venues and shut down their shows. Despite their popularity and despite the fact that there have been no arrests or violence at previous OneFour concerts, the group are the “first Australian band effectively banned from performing in their own country”. Auckland’s sold out show will go ahead. Here’s hoping we get to see Sydney’s realest, and arguably the country’s most influential, on stage soon.
