JID & Conway the Machine have shared a reflective new single called “Ballads”.
JID is a rapper from Atlanta, Georgia who is currently signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records. JID grew up the youngest of seven children. He chose the musical alias JID because his grandmother gave him a similar nickname as a child due to his “jittery” behavior. JID grew up listening to funk groups like Sly and the Family Stone before becoming more interested in 1990s New York rappers like Jay Z and Nas. He rose to prominence alongside his Spillage Village collective and then signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records. After signing to Dreamville Records, he attained international success.
JID collaborated with Buffalo rapper Conway the Machine for this new single “Ballads”. Conway the Machine is known for founding the prolific Griselda Records imprint with his brother Westside Gunn. He gained wider attention after releasing a slew of quality mixtapes in the mid-2010s. He is renowned for his intricate lyricism and fearsome vocal delivery.
“Ballads” is a contemplative, reflective song. It features JID and Conway weaving complex flows over top of a bittersweet instrumental. Christo and Big Jerm produced the instrumental, which features a melancholic soul sample and laid back drums. The beat contains twinkling keys riffing overtop of subtle vocal chops. The drums are soft and minimalistic, taking on a relaxed pace. Underneath the drums, cavernous bass drones hypnotically. JID and Conway provide polished, verbose verses over the nostalgic instrumental.
Overall, “Ballads” is a strong release from JID and Conway the Machine. The sentimental instrumental is smooth and warm, and JID and Conway come through with some well constructed verses over top of it. This collaboration definitely turned out for the better despite it being somewhat unexpected. Hopefully there are more collaborations to come from JID and Conway the Machine.
Connect with JID: Spotify | Instagram | Twitter
Connect with Conway the Machine: Spotify | Instagram | Twitter
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