Impressing last year with the track “Better Off,” Jean~Baptiste again touts a consuming nod to the early roots of hip-hop. Whereas “Better Off” touted a soulful glistening in its production, new track “RiP2TRAP” dabbles more in the rhythmically old-school hip-hop flair. The Saint Petersburg-based artist delivers an especially focused vocal performance throughout, seamless and precise alongside the hypnotic bass/drum pairing.
Lyrically taking on the negative impact of “trap rap” on hip-hop while the accompanying beat provides a reminder of straight-cutting hip-hop nostalgia, “RiP2TRAP” charms with its musings on the style’s trend for repetition and lack of ingenuity. Taking influence from classics like Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang, and Gang Starr, “RiP2TRAP” provides enjoyable nostalgia via tight production and witty lyrical observation.
Jean~Baptiste describes the track as “a statement song that emphasizes the earlier roots of hip-hop while denouncing the path it has taken in recent years. A message that all true hip-hop fans can relate to.”
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This track and others featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of February 2022’ Spotify playlist.
The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Hip-Hop.
