Growing up on the outskirts of Chicago, I was always fascinated by the buzzing music scene. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I dove head-first into the Rap scene and discovered a plethora of indescribable talents that have been making waves in the industry for years at that point. Kembe X was one of those talents who merged so many different sounds that could be heard throughout the city into his own individualistic style, making these noises his own and piecing together some of the most compelling and interesting songs not only in the city but the Rap scene as a whole. His journey has brought him all over the world and has introduced him to many different acts, and although he might’ve been relatively quiet as of late, don’t take this silence as a signal that he’s taking his foot off the gas even slightly.
Instead, he’s gearing up for something huge, and although I’m not entirely sure what this is going to entail, his most recent single “Scared” suggests that he’s only just getting reacclimated to the music scene once again. His return is even bigger considering the fact that he recruited none other than Denzel Curry to hop on this new track, and the Florida emcee fits in absolutely seamlessly on this eerie, unsettling instrumental. Produced by Opi Taylor, he incorporates some ghostly, unnerving synths, rattling hats, and terse, hard-hitting drums that pave the way for Kembe to get into some of the more unsettling, concerning topics that he dives into throughout the record.
Coming in powerfully yet still relatively stable on the hook at first, Kembe simply states the fact that he’s scared prior to repeating the phrase “running man” in an amped-up, building fashion that elevates the troubling nature of this intimidating track. Right after he builds up this momentum, a demon-like passion spills out of him, prompting him to absolutely scream his next line in one of the most captivating, powerful ways possible before retreating back to the build in enthusiasm. He repeats this once or twice before getting into his differentiating verse, taking the moment to spit some more calmed, subdued bars that would oppose his attitude on the chorus as much as it complements it.
His words are somewhat slurred together as he underemphasizes his lyrics, coming off as if he’s trying not to reveal too much of himself or his emotions, considering he already did on the hook. He switches up his cadences consistently before finishing his verse with four overly emphasized lines that end in a similar fashion to some of his outbursts throughout the chorus. After another hook, I thought I was prepared for Denzel’s verse, but I should know better, at this point, because Denzel is anything but predictable.
He comes in with such power and force, insistently spitting his lyrics in a very spastic, enthused manner. There is a filter over his voice that gives it a gritty quality, complementing the vibe of the song even more than his aggressive disposition already does. His cadences constantly rotate, unsurprisingly, and his absolutely insane ad-libs provide additional energy as he pretty much shouts words and onomatopoeias at the top of his lungs, bringing this record to places I wasn’t expecting in the slightest. Unsurprisingly, at least according to the title of the track, each rapper rotates through the various things they’re frightened of in a world that is anything but safe, especially in the current day and age.
Although it has been a bit of time since I last tuned into Kembe X’s music, this reintroduction has me basically begging for more. His powerful emotions come through at the forefront while his message is clear as day. Denzel absolutely kills his verse, which isn’t a surprise whatsoever, but he just fits in flawlessly on this alarming, worrisome track unlike anyone could have ever predicted. I’m not entirely sure what’s next for Kembe X, but I can almost guarantee that with a return as powerful as this single, it’s going to be an absolute spectacle, to say the least. While we wait and see what’s to come in the hopefully near future, take a moment and let Kembe X’s latest song “Scared” absolutely consume your mind unlike anything else you’ll hear all day.