Hikary (pronounced he-car-e) which means light in Japanese, is an 18 year old artist from Montreal, Canada, who and started making music in high school and began taking it seriously after graduating. His latest release is the 4 track EP, entitled “#Worth The Wait”. You don’t listen to Hikary very long without learning a lot about him. His own experiences make up the vast majority of what he raps about, as he rhymes in the first person. This rare combination of such unique experiences and the ability to write about them so artfully sets the artist apart from his contemporaries.
“#Worth The Wait” is an EP that virtually anyone can enjoy and is replete with songs that are all quite good. Initially appealing, his music will probably resonate very much in the weeks after it catches on – at least as much as you would like it to. When you find yourself rocking out to “Too Lit” (Prod.Cormill) and easing up for “Stay Icy” Ft Kid J (Prod.Elijah Ali) you can’t deny that the EP is a whole lot of fun.
Most hip-hop artists use their childhood and formative teenage years as fuel for the bulk of their career’s rhymes. That part is nothing new. The fact that Hikary is still living the tail-end of those years makes him doubly relevant. The stories are the here and now!
Hikary’s consistent use of varied beats help carry the bulk of the weight throughout the EP, as he keeps switching producers. He gives generous space to the productions, stepping back when it’s called for and taking the reins when he should.
When Hikary does take the mic, he sounds best when his lines are up against the playlist’s biggest asset: freestyle. Check out “Broke Niggas*Freestyle” (Prod.Kidkeva) for confirmation. It’s one of a number of moments on “#Worth The Wait” where Hikary’s commitment to creating a mood is stronger than being the star of the song. Something he inevitably is anyway.
A major reason “New Me Outro” (Prod.Youngpharaoh) could wind up being among the EP’s most attractive songs is that Hikary seems to understand how to turn a killer, infectious instrumental into an atmospheric alternative rap track.
The only negative being the brief duration of the cut. Fortunately we learn in life that all good thigs must come to an end. Ultimately, the entire EP does a terrific job creating a mood with its atmospheric production. And it’s probably what I like most about “#Worth The Wait”, besides Hikary’s tender vocal tones which are truly easy on the ear.
Besides his easy going vocal tone, Hikary’s songs feel realistic (telling a story) to me compared to what most others artist rap about. Hikary is young artist and newcomer that is contributing to his genre in a positive way and it shows in this EP. Honest and unpretentious, his thought processes and perception of things are interesting, fueling the idea that he knows exactly what he wants to be doing with his career.
OFFICIAL LINKS: SOUNDCLOUD – INSTAGRAM – TWITTER – YOUTUBE
