by Dan-O

Over time an important labels reputation falls out of their own hands. The fans, critics, fellow artists start molding narratives. As time marched on from To Pimp A Butterfly to SZA’s album Ctrl TDE got a reputation as a very serious place. A divide between TDE and the new, bouncy popular rap world became realer than it was. Isaiah Rashad is from Chattanooga Tennessee though. He grew up admiring Lil Wayne and Pimp C. While his personal, introspective lens fits the authorship TDE stands for…Rashad stretched out and had some fun. When he dropped his Hollywood Cole produced collaboration with Memphis energy demon Duke Deuce the result has an immediate bridge between the thoughtful poignant new school backpacker and the children of Gucci Mane.

Most backpackers want to throw bows as well. They just need to give themselves permission to have fun. Hollywood Cole infuses the track with a sinister bounce that feels like UGK & Three 6 Mafia stewed together. Deuce’s big delivery against Rashad’s hypnotic soft flow is all the flavors. Full of hooks and ad libs (Isaiah says “I’ma Gucci Mane, you a Captain Kirk!” and gets all the Southern Rap bonus points) this song has its whole chest out ready for anything and that’s what Tennessee keeps doing for the game. This one was made to be played live and if you put it on loud enough in your car it feels live. A true mood changer and adrenaline rush, didn’t know TDE had that in them anymore. Hopefully, this indicates more to come!