Remix: Baloji ft. Well$ & Alec Lomami – “Unité & Litre” (Saul Williams Remix)
The North Carolina Rapper and Son of Congolese Immigrants Travels the Globe For This Hard-Hitting Remix
4.4.2017
Critical praise for Well$:
“The album finds the 19-year-old straddling the line between trunk-rattling southern bounce and the witty 16s of any Freshman spitter.” – The Fader
“A charismatic live performer…the hometown hero is ready to shine whenever the national look is imminent. – Pitchfork
“Well$ 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$.” – Huffington Post
“Catching the frenetic electronic beat effortlessly, Well$ proved that he has talent that deserves to go well beyond a local stage.” – Noisey
The Remix:
An authoritative barker with a malleable flow, Charlotte emcee Well$ aggressively attacks any beat he can get his hands on. Teaming up with Belgian/Congolese artist Baloji, Well$ tries his hand at Afrobeat in the latest remix to Baloji’s “Unité & Litre.” Crafted by South African producer Moroko and featuring acclaimed artist Saul Williams, who dials up a wave of distortion over the original track’s springy polyrhythmic beat, “Unité & Litre” (French for “Unity & Freedom) features lyrics in both English and French about the struggle to fight for freedom in a world full of distractions. Joined by his cousin and Immaculate Taste labelmate Alec Lomami, Well$ spits a short but powerful verse about losing friends and battling vices. Recorded in Belgium on the day of the Brussels bombing, the track is an addictive collaboration between three artists of Congolese descent and another testament to Well$’ versatility.
A rising rapper in the North Carolina scene, Well$ dropped the acclaimed mixtape The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous in 2016. With appearances from North Carolina artists such as Sylvan Esso, Deniro Ferrar, Angelo Mota, JK The Ripper, Doms, Alec Lomami, and Sipho the Gift, along with varied production from Metro Boomin, Angelo Mota, Sipho the Gift, Jimmy Kelso and others, TWILMMMN proves that there is no style that Well$ can’t tackle. “With MTSYD: The Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher, I was speaking from the perspective of an African kid living as an American,” explains Well$. “Now, with The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous, I’m speaking about how my American upbringing clashes with my African values. The way it makes my mom nervous because I chose the opposite path that they had wanted for me.” With highlights like “XXX,” premiered by The FADER, the Sylvan Esso collaboration “Young Man,” and “Us vs. The World,” the closing track with a remix featuring Angelo Mota and Bankroll Bird, TWILMMMN is a major step forward for Well$ and an accomplished effort for a young artist.
Listen to Baloji’s “Unité & Libre” (Saul Williams Remix) ft. Well$ & Alec Lomami: https://soundcloud.com/bella-union/baloji-unite-litre-feat-saul-williams
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 2014 project, MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher was well-received by fans and critics alike and he followed it up with the equally accomplished The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous in 2016.
Links:
bandcamp | twitter | facebook | youtube | soundcloud
Baloji’ – “Unité & Libre” (Saul Williams Remix) ft. Well$ & Alec Lomami: https://soundcloud.com/bella-union/baloji-unite-litre-feat-saul-williams
“XXX”: https://youtu.be/bPKoRAWEFqI
“130” (official version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YneUXoS3NZk
“130” (one-take version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXpk1BwnFew
“Heaven’s Door” ft. Alec Lomami (Prod. by Metro Boomin): https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-heavens-door-ft-alec-lomami-prod-by-metroboomin
Weekend Money – “Break Spinal” ft. Kool AD: https://soundcloud.com/weekendmoney/weekend-money-break-spinal-feat-well-kool-ad/s-HijDG
“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/