North Carolina-based MC and founder of the award-winning hip-hop collective Free The Optimus (FTO) C.Shreve the Professor and producer D.R.U.G.S. Beats share their new collaborative project Must Be The Drugs. The 4 track body of work was birthed during most of the pandemic and is a blend of sounds with C.Shreve's energetic raps.
The title track serves as the opener and is an upbeat jam that aims to give the crowd something to move to. The track also explores the meaning of true love and loyalty which he sees as the important things in life. The following song "Dragon Luck" is ripe with somber piano riffs, and crunchy boom-bap drum breaks that serve as the canvas for C.Shreve's insightful lyrics about self-growth and making moves toward one's goals in life. In "Let It Go," the soulful aesthetic is present and gives off a nostalgic vibe while the rapper gets into the comfort zone with braggadocios raps and a memorable chorus to match. The project closes out with the retro-cinematic "Super Villains" which takes it back to the 90s with its dusty textures and use of a classic drum break. Joining them on the track is emerging rapper Jarv who displays his verbal muscles with lines like "bet I walk with Stilettos through the frozen rain." C.Shreve comes through on the second verse with his boisterous flow and wraps it up on a rugged note.
Must Be The Drugs is short and concise for the most part. The use of classic drum breaks and grooves is the foundation here and the sampling by D.R.U.G.S. Beats is well crafted while C.Shreve's lyrical prowess is undeniable. The subject matter are not so verbose and they stick to relatable elements like feel good, reflective, and self-motivational topics with a healthy dose of bravado as well.
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