MP3: Well$ – “An Awfully Rude Reintroduction”

Along With a Limited Edition Physical Package of His New Album, Charlotte, North Carolina Native Well$ Releases New Single via 10.DEEP and debuts at The FADER

09.03.2014

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:

With an intro sampled from Kanye West’s infamous Taylor Swift rant, Well$ returns with his aptly titled new single, “An Awfully Rude Reintroduction.” Released by 10.DEEP and premiered at The FADER, the song is the first release of the Charlotte, NC rapper’s “Week of Well$,” which entails a new audio single or video being dropped every day for the first week of September. Following yesterday’s free concert at Chapel Hill, An Awfully Rude Reintroduction” showcases the rapper at his most fervent, spitting 32 bars full of lyricism, braggadocio, and introspection.

Accompanied by the lyrics, “I’m still dealing with some off the wall local shit / hoes saying I aint shit but the n*ggas that they rolling with aint close to this great,” and “this is four years in the making / two years under a rock and you wonder why you wont make it,” Well$ is showcased as a rapper destined to make an impression on whoever listens, introducing himself as one of hip-hops rising stars. Mirrored with stellar production handled by the Tutankhamen Brothers and The Black Hearts Club, the sonic backdrop meets Well$ lyrical intensity perfectly over boom bap drums, distorted synth, and a growling echoing chorus. The song is a follow up to his very first single, “An Awfully Rude Introduction,” which released in 2012. In addition to his new single, Well$ is for the first time releasing physical copies of MTSYD in a limited edition package with an Immaculate Taste t-shirt and poster.

Born in Charlotte to Congolese illegal immigrants, Well$ used to get made fun of for being African, which is what led to the Boyz n The Hood reference in his most recent mixtape’s title, MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher. “Watching that kid get made fun of made me think of my childhood and how bad I wanna shit on people from back then, even musically it transferred over,” says Well$ about the title of his mixtape. In the title track for the album he raps, “These African-Americans making fun of they roots, like where the fuck do you think you come from?” MTSYD touches on other social issues, such as gun violence (in the haunting “Lil Tommy”) and the dark side to the strip club (“Black Swan” and “Major Paine.”) However, the mixtape is balanced with upbeat tracks such as “Savoire-Faire” and “Django,” both of which have garnered significant internet buzz with their accompanying music videos. The release included production from Ryan Hemsworth and DJ Dahi, in addition to a feature from Pac Div’s Mibbs. Pitchfork reviewed the MTSYD, calling it “a startling peephole into something deeply personal within Well$.”

Check out The FADER premiere: http://www.thefader.com/2014/08/29/well-hits-labor-day-off-with-an-awfully-rude-reintroduction

Listen to “An Awfully Rude Reintroduction”: https://soundcloud.com/10deep/an-awfully-rude-reintroduction-prod-tutankhamen-brothers-the-blck-herts-club

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Listen to MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher: https://soundcloud.com/wells-music/sets/mtsyd-the-revenge-of-the

Download MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher: http://www.audiomack.com/album/well/mtsyd-the-revenge-of-the-african-booty-scratcher

Purchase MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher in a limited edition package with an Immaculate Taste t-shirt and poster: http://immaculatetaste.bigcartel.com/product/weekofwell

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Tracklisting for MTSYD: The Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher:

1. “Temporary Forevers” / “xxMONOLOGUExx” (Prod. Eric G / PGMW & THE BL∆CK HE∆RTS CLUB)
2. “Savoir-Faire” (Prod. THE BL∆CK HE∆RTS CLUB)
3. “Lil’ Tommy” (Prod. Shurik’n & THE BL∆CK HE∆RTS CLUB)
4. “Black Swan” – (Prod. DJ Shlohmo)
5. “Cercle Vicieux (Vicious Circle)” feat. Makeda Iroquois (Prod. Massology)
6. “TNGHT” / “AFTRMDNGHT” (Prod. DJ Dahi)
7. “GastonTwo09ine” feat. Johnny Polygon / “Dreams Of An Insomniac” (Prod. Noah Yisreal, THE BL∆CK HE∆RTS CLUB, & Austin Celaya; Atu)
8. “Major Paine (Daddy’s Little Girl)” (Prod. Austin Celaya & THE BL∆CK HE∆RTS CLUB)
9. “Assiatou’s Interlude” feat. Obi Asiama (Prod. Juke Ellington)
10. “A$$WATER (Circa ’94)” feat. SisterMarie Warner / “Leroy Shingu’s Interlude” (Prod. Ruddy P & PRKR)
11. “Faux Gold” feat. Mibbs (Prod. JKid)
12. “Django” (Prod. Wonya)
13. “Bienaime’s Interlude” (Prod. Ryan Hemingsworth)
14. “Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher” (Prod. Larry Achiampong)
15. “Holy $ins” / “The Inauguration” (Prod. PGMW & John Beats)

Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with Well$.

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-received by fans and critics alike.