Iman Europe continues to surprise and evade being boxed into any preconceived standards listeners projected onto her. Her latest single, "Oakland," moves way to left of the soulful/r&b that populated her previous project, Caterpillar. Rather than letting her vocals woo her fans into submission, Europe pounds them on the head with astonishingly forceful bars; she flexes her rap talent that she has rarely put to use in this capacity. Do not get it confused, "Oakland" is definitely on the hip-hop side of things and although it is atypical to her sound, Iman pulls off the transition smoothly.
Ms. Europe states that "Oakland" is inspired by her travels to the song's namesake city and the growing fondness for its people and culture. Obviously, the title is clear enough to get her point across, but just in case you doubted her passion for Oaktown, the accompanying video should wipe away all doubt.
"Oakland" plays out like an elongated Snap Story. Viewers follow her during a raucous weekend in the Bay, as she dances, smokes, and just generally has a great time with her cast of friends. It is an innovative use of modern technology and the quick scene cuts keep the short video entertaining. It is funny seeing the captions and some of her friends' comments on her snap stories, which always includes just the right amount of emojis and "lits."
Iman Europe has been busy at work touring and recording, which may translate into even more refreshing musical developments. If "Oakland" was an indication of what the young artist has in store for the near future, we should be excited.
