10.30.2020
Album: King Von – Welcome To O-Block
Offering Gripping Narratives and Intense Reality Raps, the Chicago Rising Star Paints a Vivid Picture of Life in His Notoriously Rough Home Neighborhood
Critical Praise:
“King Von’s original ‘Crazy Story’ is the kind of thing hip-hop heads should crave: an immediate and distinct piece of cinematic rap that makes time for flirting and gangbanging all in one ferocious verse. The Chicago rapper details an attack on an opp that keeps you engrossed all the way to the very end” – The 405
“King Von’s incredibly vivid story-telling rhymes have propelled him to the forefront of Chicago drill rap.” – The FADER
“King Von excels in using his storytelling as a device to portray the struggle of growing up in Chicago.” – Pitchfork
The Album:
Relaying street stories with a painter’s eye for detail and a playwright’s sense of drama, King Von is one of the rap game’s most vital voices. Offering up an unfiltered and breathlessly intense portrait of his come-up, King Von shares Welcome To O-Block, his debut album and origin story. Shaped by his upbringing in his notorious home neighborhood and by his lifelong experiences with the criminal justice system, Von delivers his rhymes with a single-minded energy, laying out the life-or-death stakes of his day-to-day as a rising rap star. The 25-year-old rapper interrogates every corner of his state of mind, revealing the earned confidence and residual paranoia of a man determined to overcome his demons, reach stardom, and provide for his friends and family.
Featuring production from Von’s frequent collaborator Chopsquad DJ alongside famous faces like Wheezy, Tay Keith, Hitmaka, and Will-A-Fool, Welcome To O-Block incorporates regional sounds from around the map into Von’s dramatic post-drill sound. The rapper reaches a new level of craftsmanship as he covers conflicts and situations familiar to anyone who grew up in a neglected urban environment. Setting the scene with opening track “Armed & Dangerous,” Welcome To O-Block finds Von lamenting a friend’s betrayal on “Why He Told“ (6.9 million YouTube views) and contemplating the harsh decisions faced by people caught up in the justice system on “How It Go“ (8.3 million views). Showing his versatility, Von reflects on his sins and shows off his melodic abilities on “Demon,” and works through relationship woes on “Mad At You,” a duet with fellow Chicagoan Dreezy.
The new project is home to buzzing new singles like the Brooklyn-meets-Chicago anthem “I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign (7.2 million views), the lightning-quick home invasion tale “Gleesh Place“ (2.4 million views), and the furious breakout hit “All These N****s” (24.5 million views), featuring his mentor and close friend Lil Durk. Featuring additional appearances from Polo G, Moneybagg Yo, and Prince Dre, Welcome To O-Block is available everywhere via Only The Family/EMPIRE.
Welcome To O-Block is the follow-up to Levon James, a wide-ranging and successful project, home to the hit single “Took Her To The O“ (27 million views). The culmination of a meteoric rise that started with 2018’s “Crazy Story,” Welcome To O-Block establishes Von as one of his city’s, and the rap game’s most promising new stars.
Welcome To O-Block: https://music.empi.re/oblock
Welcome To O-Block tracklist:
1. Armed & Dangerous (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
2. GTA (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
3. Demon (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
4. Mine Too (Prod. Hitmaka)
5. The Code (Feat. Polo G) (Prod. JTK & DJ Ayo)
6. Why He Told (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
7. Back Again Feat. Lil Durk & Prince Dre (Prod. Tay Keith)
8. Gleesh Place (Prod. Wheezy)
9. All These N***as (Feat. Lil Durk) (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
10. Can’t Relate (Prod. Will-a-Fool)
11. Mad At You (Feat. Dreezy) (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
12. Aint See It Coming (Feat. Moneybagg Yo) (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
13. I Am What I Am (Feat. Fivio Foreign) (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
14. Ride (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
15. How it Go (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
16. Wayne’s Story (Prod. Chopsquad DJ)
Please contact Michelle, Andrea, or Erin for more info.
The Background:
King Von is one of rap’s most visceral and animated storytellers, packing detail and wit into every bar. Making noise in a big way following acquittal from a potential prison sentence, the Lil Durk co-signee earned over 50 million plays on his Gold-certified single “Crazy Story,” and sustained his momentum with the Grandson Vol. 1 mixtape. Von shared his ferocious album LeVon James in March, which featured the fiery single “Took Her To The O” (27 million views). His debut album, Welcome To O-Block, a harrowing and inspiring origin story, features appearances from Polo G, Fivio Foreign, Moneybagg Yo, and more, and is currently available via Only The Family/EMPIRE.
Links:
Welcome To O-Block: https://music.empi.re/oblock
“Gleesh Place”: https://youtu.be/vMxOz_6gWOE
“I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign: https://music.empi.re/iamwhatiam / https://youtu.be/JHixsTYXfso
“How It Go”: https://music.empi.re/howitgo / https://youtu.be/WU6EHi410UQ
“All These N****s”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB2LmRyfXuk
“Why He Told”: https://empire.ffm.to/whyhetold | https://youtu.be/PLutQQzjig4
LeVon James: https://empire.lnk.to/LevonJames
“Took Her To The O”: https://youtu.be/hzt31eJTGxo
Grandson Vol. 1: https://empire.lnk.to/grandson1
“Crazy Story”: https://Empire.lnk.to/Crazystory // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC8NmE3H-zs