Kenny Mason embodies a “HOODRAT” mentality. That grind, hustle and passion for his craft is what makes the 29-year-old Atlanta native cut from a different cloth, personifying ATL and leading it (and rap as a whole) to its next chapter.
Half a year removed from rounding out his 9 album trilogy, Mason returns with the soft-hearted yet hard-hitting, Angel Eyes (Nov. 20). At nine total tracks, the short-but-punchy mixtape features production from frequent collaborator Coupe, Poison Thorn and Mason himself (“Intuition”), among others.
Like most of Mason’s work, Angel Eyes hits close to home. Set in the streets of his native Atlanta, the project spans from ghostly-crooned drum-and-bass, brooding guitar ballads and bouncy ATL trap. “HOODRAT,” “HOW TO SURVIVE,” “BEEN HAVIN” and “TEEN GOHAN” are instant highlights, once again showcasing Mason’s top-tier lyricism and one-of-one track presence.
On its lead track “HOODRAT,” cascading synths and pulsating percussion thump beneath Mason’s one-of-one flow and metaphor-laced bars that incite stank faces instantly. “I know a few rugrats, ridin’ ’round with that Tommy gun / I been ’round them hoodrats, I know I’m my mama’s son,” he raps dripped in swag, laid-back looking for an issue with his chest puffed out. “You was out of play for speakin’ on beef, you must have wanted some / I was out of space to find your speaker because I wanted some.”
Fresh off a debut performance at Tyler, The Creator‘s 10-year Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, Mason’s knack for world-building has always been awe-inspiring—stemming from his debut mixtape Angelic Hoodrat and last full-length LP RUFFS. 9, however, fully encapsulated the ATL star’s true breadth of talent. Touting features with JID (“Just In Time,” “Dance Now”) and J. Cole (“STICK”) in recent years elevated Mason visibility within the new echelon of alt-rap stars. But he’s got that dog in him, straying from the rest of the pack—apparent in every song he puts out.
Check out “Angel Eyes” below!