In an age of rapid ascension, it is reassuring to see an artist not only trust the process but embrace it. This mentality and formula, which benefits the patient, surrounds the consistency and growth of Atlanta rap artist SwaVay. The Metro Boomin record label signee is no stranger to the Lyrical Lemonade pages as his ability and lethal lyricism has made us keep an eye on him since his emergence in the space. To no surprise, his most recent release, a nine-track project titled B4dalbum, is an exceptional example of an artist who is only getting better.
Each record on the project shines a light on the continued development of a rapper who is finding an infectious balance between lyricism, contagious melodies, harmonies and an elite level of production that only amplifies the impact of each verse. Notable songs like, “Yaya,” “Okay” and “Terrell Owens” all carry a heavy production element that is emphasized by SwaVay’s delivery of braggadocios lyricism and harmonious cadences that invoke the coveted hip-hop head nod.
Although the project progresses through varied moods and styles one element remains constant; a high-level of rapping. SwaVay uses his ability to deliver to unapologetically lay his claim as one of the most exciting and technically skilled rappers coming out of Atlanta. The rising rapper does this through his decision making on a project that features the heavyweight production talents of Pyrex Whippa and Earl on the Beat. Rather than relying on the jaw-dropping energy created by the production to carry him, SwaVay uses each bassline and hi-hat to springboard himself into another gear.
There is no question this project slaps but it also carries weight not just from the bombastic production and lyrical execution but from a storytellers perspective. Every rapper looking to make an imprint on the culture, especially one looking to cement their name in the rafters, must deliver songs that urge a gut reaction. This song comes in the form of “Profit;” a four-minute excursion of honesty and unfiltered realism told not as a rapper but as a man bending the universe to his will in order to achieve his dreams. In the case of SwaVay it’s not about if he will take the mantle as one of hip-hop’s new leaders but a matter of when.
Listen to B4dalbum by SwaVay below.