We’re pleased that we discover ourselves vibing with Cali-based Asian rapper Star2 and his latest single “Massive Bands” that includes none aside from Iconic Lengthy Seaside rapper $tupid Younger. The tune relates Star2’s inner-city San Diego upbringing that the as soon as ka-ren refugee needed to face when fleeing a genocide of his folks by the hands of the Burmese army and the Myanmar authorities. The U.S. positive was a land of alternatives, however a number of challenges together with racism, gang violence, and social inequality awaited throughout the ocean for him.
Right this moment Star2 can go searching himself and say that he’s reaching his American dream, however he needed to work his ass off towards all odds to get to the place he’s right now, and “Massive Bands” is each a celebration and a recognition of that, in addition to the all-important issue that music performed in taking him from the streets of San Diego to the heights of the music business.
Star2’s sound percolates from Hip-hop down via R&B and Pop parts, making for one thing that sounds quite a bit like the way forward for the style: Catchy, lush, and extremely dynamic with lyrics that don’t shrink back from harsh and complicated subjects. For this single Star2 introduced Alex Pham -better generally known as $tupid Younger- on board for a strong collab. The Cambodian-American artist will get to indicate why he’s so properly regarded throughout the neighborhood, with Star2 himself taking his hat off to him by saying “$tupid Younger reps the Asian neighborhood and paved the way in which for all Asian rappers within the business,”
Not happy with simply dropping a fireplace new single and a killer music video, Star2 additionally needed to launch his EP “Actual Life” alongside it as properly. This EP is six songs is an enlargement on the detailing and celebrating the battle and the journey of this true survivor who can also be rising as a large consultant of Asians within the rap sport, demonstrating not solely enormous expertise and musical instincts but additionally an acute affinity for bringing enormous historic and social consciousness to the plenty craving to listen to one thing deeply actual in regards to the human expertise.
The EP is, as you might need guessed, a slice of Start2’s life, the struggles and the victories each large and small. The EP opens up soaked in heartbreak and disillusionment with “I Wanna Get F’d up” (ft. rapper Luh Kel) and instantly it presents us with a development that’s repeated in the remainder of the EP, because it permits us to understand how deeply intertwined R&B and Rap have turn out to be; clearly the connection has been there nearly because the starting, however these days the road’s changing into so blurry it’s getting troublesome to separate the 2 genres, and Star2 actually belongs to that era of vanguardists who know methods to faucet right away into the widespread thread between these two genres to make one thing far better than both on their very own.
The next tune is the titular monitor “Actual Life” during which S2 and Jacksonville rapper Lil Poppa lay down some severely heavy stuff. Although the monitor has the pop/R&B smoothness that’s turn out to be Star2’s signature, its ambiance feels far much less laid again than earlier than. With lyrics involving loads of Star’s tragic previous, I felt like there was a noticeable East-Coast grit that you just don’t essentially count on from a West Coast rapper.
With each “December” and “Thinkin Bout You” we get to listen to Star2’s extra romantic aspect, and his Pop influences come rather more ahead right here as properly, particularly within the latter guitar-driven monitor the place we will additionally respect his vocal expertise just a bit bit higher as a bonus.
Earlier than the ultimate monitor -which we already covered- there’s what’s in all probability my favourite tune of the lot: “Run Away” opens up on entrancing guitar chords that stride a line between heat and sorrow, this either-or vibe units the stage for what’s received to be essentially the most spectacular rapping (talent and lyrics-wise) in all the EP, in addition to a number of the heaviest bars the younger rapper has put on the market. This places us nose to nose with a number of the harshest realities in Star2’s life, and extra importantly the knowledge and perception he’s gained from them, reminding us to be pleased about all the nice issues we’ve skilled and respect *right now* what we’ve got.
With inspiration from titans similar to Tyga and Justin Bieber, Star2 has a catchy and easy-going movement that merely can’t miss. He’s catchy, sure, he’s enjoyable too, however he has such a straightforward time sharing his story with you and simply laying all of it out in a manner that feels very approachable that I really feel that should be his biggest power, and with legendary producer Chico Bennett (Prince, Madonna, Girl Gaga, the Killers, Hillary Duff, Britney Spears) in his nook, there doesn’t appear to be something that may decelerate his rise to the highest.
Story: Samuel Aponte Photographs: Courtesy of the artist
