Two years ago, hip-hop/electronic duo Charge It To the Game debuted onto the scene with their EP, Urban Hall of Fame. At the time, neither member of the duo was necessarily a newcomer – producer Kyle Mabson is no stranger in LA's DIY scene, while Nigerian-American rapper Fat Tony is perhaps best-known for his Das Racist affiliation, in addition to being one of the coolest, most laid-back rappers from Houston, Texas. But as Charge It to the Game, the duo presented something fresh, strange, slightly dark.
Together, the two artists crafted this weird, unique sound of hip-hop. Madson's production is strikingly industrial, synth-heavy and, at times, a bit new wavey. Think Hotline Miami's soundtrack, but slopped. On the other hand, Fat Tony rapped his ass off on Urban Hall of Fame. Tony went hard, but his attitude was subdued with hilarious bars and song concepts. Just hearing an instrumental from Madson feels daunting to rap over. Tony just seemed to melt in, naturally.
Now, two years later, Charge It To the Game are finally readying to drop their debut album, House With A Pool. Following Urban Hall of Fame, House With A Pool promises a breath of fresh air for hip-hop made by two carefree, inventive artists. "It’s the same kind of vibe, but we now have a better idea of what we’re going for," Mabson told EARMILK about the upcoming album. "The album title is what we will end up getting with all that money we be makin’, baybeeeee."
House With A Pool's first single comes in the form of a hilarious music video, "Dark Girl". The song is an ode to goth dark girls; the type girls who wear black nail polish and chokers. "Black hair, pale face – great," Tony raps from a closet, a-la the boogeyman, over Mabson's plunky, somewhat scratchy instrumental. "She look like an extra from The Craft," Tony continues, eventually revealing the song's true mantra: "The world is ending, pretending isn't sufficient / This world is bullshit, fuck everyone that's in it." The black-and-white visual recalls old-school vibes of campy made-for-TV horror films, and features numerous references to Hot Topic-chic. Also, Fat Tony dresses like a white mom.
No word yet on the exact release date on the project. Check the tracklist and album artwork to House With A Pool down below.
Connect With Charge It To the Game: Instagram | Bandcamp
House With a Pool tracklist:
1. Bad Boy (featuring Juiceboxxx)
2. Y.B.N. (featuring B L A C K I E)
3. Actin' Out
4. Dark Girl
5. Been A Minute
6. Discount
7. Dive In
8. Don't Wanna Miss
9. Running To the Bag
10. Doggy
11. The Belt (featuring PapermaSHAY)
12. My Way
13. Take A Sip
