Collectives used to be a lot more common in the music industry, it seems, so when I come across a group of musicians who are really making waves as large as Barely Legal, I have to tap in without question. Although they’re a quartet that I hadn’t yet heard of, I am clearly sleeping considering they’ve already achieved some massive success in their blossoming careers and with a few performances at Rolling Loud, their fanbase is rapidly expanding. For good reason, too, because the crew made up of Chowder Band$, Kid Dre, Miquel Morales, and Jø have a sound unlike anyone else in the industry and after proclaiming themselves the “Black Backstreet Boys”, how could anyone not want to tap in with them?
The video single that was sent through my email is for their record “CHACHASLIDE” with Jay Browne, and it’s a video that seriously captivated me in every sense of the word. On the unique Major Seven and Sauron-produced single, every artist finds their perfect niche, showing off exactly how individualistic they are on their own but not overshadowing the fact that they play off of one another in this unforced way that makes me feel as if they’re sharing the same brain somehow.
In the MotionMinds-shot video, I love how they divided up different plots amongst one another, changing sceneries completely as one emcee goes in to spit before transporting viewers to an entirely different scene, providing us with creativity as much as they are able to highlight their unmatched skillsets. Some of the many scenarios include a televised presidential debate of sorts, an attempted mugging gone wrong, a backyard barbecue, and a few other situations, none of which overshadow the others while somehow equally standing out amongst the rest.
I think that’s how Barely Legal could be described as well because they just seem to share this bond that allows them to prosper together without minimizing any of the members or showing dominance over someone else’s artistry. This cohesiveness, along with each member’s pure talents, combine to make Barely Legal one of the most irrefutably intoxicating collectives in the music industry right now, and in all honesty, most of the other groups that come to mind aren’t even close.