Atlanta, Georgia rapper, Shawty Boy knows how to bend hard-edged raps into supple, sugary melodic verses; he can flip from slow-burn lines and smooth grooves to energetic triumphs in just a few syllables, as he enlivens his latest EP, “I Really Rap 2” with his pivots between abrasive spits and clean croons. On his latest release, Shawty Boy doesn’t bombard us with endless features and a dragged out listening experience with an overbearing track list. Instead he gives us a continuous playing EP, with top tier production, some great features and smooth transitions. Shawty Boy has star quality and “I Really Rap 2” proves it.
For those who’ve lived under a rock, Shawty Boy is a rapper who came to the forefront of popularity as a teenage rapper in the early 2000’s. In 2008 Shawty made an appearance with Alphamega and T.I. in the video “Uh-Huh”, and has notched up features with artists like Young Thug, Rich the Kid, Young Dro, Souja Boy and other A league players. Firmly on the comeback trial as a matured artist, Shawty Boy first dropped his 10 track EP, entitled “I Really Rap”, and has now followed up that success with “I Really Rap 2”.
As he continues to find develop his sound and get better with his music, there is no limit on how far Shawty Boy can take it. Right from the opening track “Shots Fired”, it’s clear he loves the sound of the piano.
Shawty really knows how to ride the sound of the piano’s emotional resonance, and that’s why he so effortlessly floats on these type of tracks. Case in point: “Shawty 3:16” where Shawty Boy sings and raps showcasing his versatility, and why he should be considered an artist and not just a rapper or singer.
“Screenshot” is another piano-based track where Shawty Boy spills out his heart with explicit and honest talk. Something about this track pulls me in. Maybe it’s the soothing buildup of the beat, or maybe it’s the lucid bars. Whatever it is, Shawty Boy simply bodied this one.
“Daddy Baby” and “Ridin’ wit A Drac” ups the energy ante, as Shawty bursts forth with relentless flows and a banging beats. These are songs that you turn on and ride out to. This is Shawty Boy in his best form.
By the halfway mark, the EP has already stabilized its groovy momentum, as Shawty Boy steps up to the plate and introduces his first feature on “All Night” ft. Dc Davinci. The guitars sound heavenly. The rappers are boisterous and bursting with energy as they bounce to the beat.
Shawty Boy has more than one voice, and it’s evident on “Play Yourself”. There’s a flexibility to the way he raps, in both the structure and the expression. His cadence and rhymes are infectious.
“Pull Up” ft. Street Craze and Adam Jasset, is designed to rock the club, with its upbeat, dancefloor groove. You’ll love the way Shawty Boy voice sounds on top of the skittering mid-tempo sizzle of “Forgot Me”.
He has a distinct presence when he’s in no hurry, allowing the atmosphere to create a compelling gravity. It’s the same formula he executes with absolute impacting success, on the EP closer, “Stray” ft. Dc Davinci.
All throughout “I Really Rap 2”, Shawty Boy loosely delivers the dynamics of his life in voice-shifting melodies and heartfelt, no-holds-barred, explicit lyricism, over sweet-sounding instrumentation.
The EP contains a strong collection of songs. They’re enticingly produced, savoring in sound, and extra spicy in narration, giving listeners just enough of Shawty Boy to convince them that in his second coming, he has the fundamental ingredients of a star in the making.
