Is Brooklyn emcee Chen Lo for real? Well, he apparently thinks so on his new single, Real Thing. Producer Kallisto supplies him with a warbling soul sample, brassy trumpets, and drums over which to create his dream world. Taking a page from fellow “conscious” artists like Common and Kanye West, Lo executes to perfection a track about the difficulties of growing up in the streets and the violence that plagues them. While Chen Lo wishes things could be different, he encourages everyone to keep working at achieving his or her dreams, and to push harder in the face of resistance. It’s possible that Real Thing could indeed help Lo achieve his dreams of hitting the music industry jackpot; his swagger and intelligence are just what the game could use. Look for more thoughtful numbers when his album, Chronicles of a Rebel, drops on November 4.
I'm loving the sample. Kallisto's production is pretty good. The vocals seems way louder than the beat. Chen Lo has a good flow. I feel he doesn't have anything unique to him though. I will say he showed some swagger and style on the hook. On the verses, he lacks energy that should behind some of the great words he is saying. But I can't knock someone rapping about the "real". I can definitely dig it. Into rotation it goes!
Actually, I upgrade this to four stars. I still agree the extra energy would have helped, but this is too good of a track to not give it the proper recognition.
Beat is great and he has great lyrics. Sounds like a beat that Nas would kill. Never heard of him before but I will definitely keep him on my radar becuz of dis song. Great message about life
This is real hip hop...smooth but energetic beat, good flow by Chen Lo and envolving chorus! I don't think I would listen to this every day but it's in rotation for sure. Oh and I forgot to write I love the background sample
since last weeks "brooklyn" joint i was excited to listen to Chen's new joint...and like the rest i'm feeling this dude for real...def got a talib feel to it...real dude, real talk, real hip hop
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