MP3: Well$ – “TwoBrothe
Debuting via XXL, 20-Year-Old Charlotte Rapper Drops Loosie In Anticipation Of Forthcoming Sophisticated Trap EP
12.09.2014
Critical praise for Well$:
“The album finds the 19-year-old straddling the line between trunk-rattling southern bounce and the witty 16s of any Freshman spitter.” – The Fader
“…a startling peephole into something deeply personal within Well$.” – Pitchfork
“Well$ uses inspiration from his own heritage as well as popular American culture to develop a sound that is distinctly his own, drawing on southern influences as well as his own African culture.” – Complex
“Charlotte, N.C., may not be the first city to come to mind when thinking of hip hop hotbeds, but thanks to a rising echelon of talent, that’s about to change. Leading that charge is 19-year-old Leroy Shingu, who goes by the name of Well$.” – Huffington Post
The Song:
After an incredible campaign of singles, collaborations, and his latest mixtape, Charlotte rapper Well$ shows no signs of slowing down with the release of his latest loose single, “TwoBrothers.” The track is releasing in anticipation of his Sophisticated Trap EP, which is set to drop in the first quarter of 2015. “The Charlotte rapper spits vivid rhymes over soothing drums,” states XXL in their premiere, adding that “Well$ raps about his dreams of the future and his hunger for more.” The single features production from familiar collaborators Sipho the Gift, Alec Lomami, and the Tutankhamun Brothers. “TwoBrothers” showcases Well$’ developed vocal range, from a clean, still youthful voice spitting optimistic bars to rhymes of rugged articulation depicting his unequivocal desire for greatness. Between two verses sits a clip from Dave Chappelle‘s Killin’ Them Softly stand-up routine – funny at the time of watching, but Well$ spins it earnestly as a desolate alternative to his rise in the ranks of hip-hop’s most promising young performers.
Staking claim as of one the artists to watch this year, Well$ has released an impressive collection of singles including “Girl Tell Me Something“ with his new trio THE BL∆CK HE∆RTS CLUB (Alec Lomami and Lucho of Youth Sounds). The track debuted on Consequence of Sound who called it “a wildly enthusiastic song,” adding that “it’s something the Neptunes could’ve dropped in their heyday.” Recently Well$ worked with South African producer/rapper Sipho the Gift on the collaborative singles “Somewhere“ and “Youth in Revolt Pt.2“ following the release of his latest mixtape MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher that dropped earlier this year.In September, he celebrated his 20th birthday with a Week of Well$, where he debuted a series of new songs a videos, including a video for “Black Swan” that was shared via Billboard.
Quickly becoming a staple in the North Carolina hip-hop community, he has dominated the live sector in the area opening for Ab-Soul, Ty Dolla $ign, Deniro Farrar, Denzel Curry, Lil Bibby, and more. Well$ will be performing tonight at the Studio at Webster Hall and will be live streamed here.
Listen to “TwoBrothers”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-twobrothers
Read the XXL premiere: http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/new-music/2014/12/premere-well-twobrothers/
Live performance recap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lItQgNrwVlo
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/180648689″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Well$ Background:
Like most kids in his native town of Charlotte, North Carolina, Leroy Shingu had a head filled with hip-hop dreams growing up, even trying his hand at freestyling when he was all of nine years old. But a trying background starkly different from the blissful suburban reality of his peers would compel the rapper better known as Well$ to turn that childhood fantasy into a promising career as a rapper. Quietly released in 2012, $ay La V, Well$’ debut EP rose steadily on the Bandcamp charts to peak at number 5 and eventually become the most downloaded album in the Charlotte area. This remarkable ascent as well as the video for the song “State of Ecstasy The Interlude Part 1″ hauled Well$ out of virtual anonymity, and shoved him onto high profile stage performances with artists such as G Eazy, Chris Webby, Johnny Polygon, and one of his idols, Pac Div. His most recent project, MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher was well-recieved by fans and critics alike.
Links:
bandcamp | twitter | facebook | youtube | soundcloud
“TwoBrothers”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-twobrothers
“Fight”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/fight-prod-pgmw
“Stella 95”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-stella-95-feat-lucho-prod-pgmw-thefacesblur
“’98 Juvie”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-98-juvie-prod-sipho-the-gift
“Black Swan”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CFn5fFeCpw / https://soundcloud.com/wells-music/black-swan
“An Awfully Rude Reintroduction”: https://soundcloud.com/10deep/an-awfully-rude-reintroduction-prod-tutankhamen-brothers-the-blck-herts-club
“Youth In Revolt Pt. 2” ft. King Mez: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/youth-in-revolt-pt-2-feat-king-mez/
CyHi the Prynce – “Mandela” (Official remix feat. Well$): https://soundcloud.com/1cyhitheprynce/mandela-remixfeaturing-reason-well
“Savoir-Faire”: http://youtu.be/bVVggr8eheY
Download link for MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher: http://www.audiomack.com/album/well/mtsyd-the-revenge-of-the-african-booty-scratcher
Bio, pics, and more here: http://www.audibletreats.com/wells/