Hip Hop enthusiasts, meet 25 year old Adian Coker. He caused tremors last year with releases like "Angels & Demons" and "Airs & Graces", his latest offering Young World is going to cause an earthquake – make absolutely sure you start 2014 with this artist firmly etched in your minds.
From the get go the South London MC sets himself apart; ‘not tryna be no statistic unless they talkin 1%’. No pretences or gimmicks, just an alarmingly confident tone backed up by reassuringly intelligent lyrics. “Cream”, the first track on the tape, is what anyone wants to hear when they hit play on a Hip Hop compilation – a murky banger. If ever there were an example of the best of both U.K and U.S sounds then this is it; with regards to accent and lyrics, Coker couldn’t be more English, yet you’d be forgiven for mistaking the hook for an A.S.A.P Rocky feature in all its vocally chopped and screwed glory. In the same vein, “Suicide Drive” also packs a universal mass appeal deserving of plaudits on both sides of the Atlantic.
The beats on the mixtape – produced by the man himself – speak as loudly as the lyrics themselves and play a huge part in the authentic sound Coker is convincingly pushing. From the gritty to the trippy, we’re constantly kept guessing yet always fixated – so much so that on certain tracks Adian doesn’t drop a bar until a minute in. One such example is “I Swear”; the trippy futuristic synths and faded out beats build and build to such a point that when he finally starts spitting, you automatically up the volume to capacity. “Like Winter” is another track that Coker brings to the boil then lets loose; a pleasant piano loop gets glazed with some nice vocals from Shezar until the song is broken up in the middle with an inspirational Jay-Z soundbite – given the verbal tenacity and hustler’s spirit apparent in AC’s arsenal, it’s no surprise MTV are ‘convinced Jay Z would be proud’. By the time Coker does goes in at the 1:30 mark it’s hard not to hang on his every word and analyse each bar in awe – by the time the horns kick in you’re sold; AC has got it sussed.
Tracks like “Eyes Closed” and “Vitriol” demonstrate just how deeply Adian is locked into focus mode, the beats sinister sounds and tones are a perfect backdrop for him to combine vividly accomplished wordplay with the everyday street regularities that have defined him as a person and a rapper; he may be a new name to many but his sound is as seasoned and as legitimate as some of the biggest names in rap at the moment. The reflective nature of “Human Nature” shows another side to his game; his recollections and recognition of the youth of today’s trials and tribulations pack a punch that further confirm the promise already shown on the project. Upon first glance, “Dream” is a track that would excite many as it features the sublime vocal talents of Josh Osho. This excitement wouldn’t be misplaced; the two collaborate to tackle the complexities of love with a combined sophistication and soul that is reminiscent of a Common/John Legend cut. “Victory” is exactly what it says on the packet; a spoken word manifesto outlining the arduous route to the top he faces – it oozes hubris, wisdom and a desire to be the greatest. I defy anybody to not feel the motivation when it fades out.
So there you have it, an offering packed full of quotables and musically cunning production. It would seem in Adian Coker we can behold one of the industry’s few truly complete artists; a testament to the kind of talent the U.K streets have been churning out in recent years – that being said, it might be a while before anybody else comes close to the potential on display here. Coker just let off a warning shot, but you’d be foolish to cover your ears.
You can listen to and download Young World below.
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