Ever since I first stumbled upon Joey Bada$$ and his 1999 mixtape two summers ago, I knew this kid was talented. Whilst his peers around him were perhaps trying to put on a bravado of a thug-life image as they shouted into a microphone, Joey was more at home creating the type of hip-hop that inspired him, growing up in the concrete jungle that is Brooklyn. The likes of Jay Z & Nas had repped New York before him, with the his forthcoming album B4.DA.$$ (Before Da Money) being recorded in the same studios used by two of the rap games biggest pioneers. If you couple that with an extremely talented crew behind him, in the shape of Pro Era, you get a recipe for one of the most exciting collectives in the rap world right now.
"Big Dusty", the first single taken from his forthcoming debut album, sees Joey back at his boom-bap influenced best, as he rides the mysterious sounding dark instrumental produced by fellow Pro Era homie Kirk Knight. Backed by this dope beat, Joey handles himself with incredible composure, locking down a supreme flow whilst still coming lyrically strong, as he runs through topics including how his collective are shaking up the East Coast. The video for "Big Dusty" is a rather trippy affair, with constantly moving camera angles teamed with ever changing colours projected onto the young emcee, whilst also cutting to shots of Joey and the Pro Era mobbin' out on the streets of New York.
You can peep the spaced-out visuals for "Big Dusty" below, and be sure to keep your eyes and ears locked onto EARMILK for everything Pro Era related, including Joey's debut album B4.DA.$$ which is set to be released this fall.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/JmC2igVQdxc[/youtube]
Joey Bada$$
"Big Dusty"
- Cinematic Music Group
- 13th August, 2014
