Since the release of his head-turning debut album Angelic Hoodrat (2020) — and sister LP Supercut (2021) — Kenny Mason has become a genre-defying anomaly in hip-hop.
The Atlanta emcee’s fiery verse on JID’s “Stick” and surprise appearance at Coachella only bolstered his standing from co-signs in Dreamville and J. Cole, as the rising star’s year-long hiatus seems to be ending at just the right time.
Offering a greater sense of “Self” on his latest effort (May 26), the loose YouTube exclusive sees Mason reflecting on his internal plights — engulfing his thoughts in waves of emotion in the wake of the Uvalde tragedy. “Why I wake up and I gotta convince myself, not to end myself,” he raps, enveloping listeners into a raw reflection of “Self” amid fake people, fake feelings and hollow truths that Mason pines for others to accept.
Why I feel like you been lying to kick it?
Why I feel like you got slimy intentions?
Why I feel like you’ve been hiding your feelings?
Why am I scrolling on the timeline see a news of motherf—kers firing at children?
Kenny Mason — “Self”
Kenny also foreshadows his status as one of the game’s next tastemakers, spitting “I was talking to Cole / Told me he know I’m in line to be one of the GOATS,” complementing these quips of praise with an equal amount of perseverance. “Everytime I do something for myself / n—as say I’m full of myself / My whole life y’all slept,” he continues, as the track’s hypnotic, bouncy production lifts Kenny’s bars to new heights.
Additionally, the elusive 26-year-old has become well known for his signature sound — championing heavy metal guitars, airy vocal stacks and punk undertones all throughout his discography. This, though, is what makes his music more captivating than most — balancing somber introspective ballads and mosh-pitting bangers with a potency only he possesses.
Keeping any trace of new music well under wraps, it’s only a matter of time before Mason re-emerges with more profound perspective for fans to sink their teeth into.
Listen to Kenny Mason’s “Self” below!
