Hailing from the city of Queens, NY, but establishing himself in Atlanta, Ga, emerging emcee Prince Black, blends the cultures of both these regions in his mission to wear the hip-hop crown. In the past two years he has dropped a handful of single to critical acclaim – among them, “Long Black Road”, “Never Even Know (What’s The Word)” and “Sirens” (ft. Bridget Perez). 2019 sees Prince Black vigorously back in the limelight with two new tracks – one is “Undrafted” by Alex Forte which he features on, and the other is his very own “Prince of Queens Freestyle”. Good or bad, lyricism is a lost art, and no amount of deferential lip service can obscure the realities of hip-hop in its current iteration. For two decades, inarticulate rappers have been gaining on their more writerly counterparts. Prince Black chooses his words with care, which is surely a factor in the continued awaiting of his big breakthrough.
But that doesn’t discourage the wordsmith, instead it fuels his creativity and performance status, which is why he is on fire with “Prince of Queens Freestyle”. This track marks a return to the fundamentals of the art called rap, and one that Prince Black has so thoroughly mastered.
The track gets insightful over a fittingly chill, soulful and jazzy instrumental. A shimmering piano and deep rolling baselines supply the foundation for Prince Black who approaches the song with a picturesque storyline in mind. You’ll be hard-pressed to hear a rapper today that’s as fiery and skillful as he is.
In just over three and a half minutes, “Prince of Queens Freestyle” is short, sweet, and doesn’t waver from its lyrical concept. Beyond output and style, the reason Prince Black is able to sparkle within an ever-changing music game filled with trappers and mumble rappers, is the fact that in every given situation, he proves he is the better craftsman.
An undeniable asset still appreciated by lovers of the genre. Prince Black has always had pretty slick bars and punches. This track is packed with pretty fantastic bars and Prince Black does another stunningly good job displaying his skill over an original and accommodating beat.
I’ve been a Prince Black fan since 2017 and you can usually expect a similar flow on every track – However I feel like he’s stepped a bit out of his comfort zone and into the next level with “Prince of Queens Freestyle”.
Caught up in the music industry’s antiquated system of rules that cater to the lowest common denominator, Prince Black leads the charge to prove that lyrical rap still has legs to go the distance. Every facet of his presentation is advanced with remarkable enthusiasm and craft.
All of these moments exceed the potential found in recent hip-hop history, as it seems Prince Black is determined to restore promise to the genre again. Prince Black has what it takes to fill a sizable void and resurrect the genres foundational elements, and the process of doing so, he might just get to wear the crown.
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