Lil Bibby and Grade A Productions may have just gone three-for-three with their latest signee, Zzz.
Planting the seeds for Juice WRLD and The Kid LAROI to become generational superstars, Grade A brought on the 18-year-old Miami native this past March to (hopefully) do the same.
In a matter of days, Z’s life made a complete 180 — going from making music in his dorm room at University of Florida-Gainesville to riding around in Los Angeles making hits alongside Bibby and G Money. Documenting his journey on TikTok, Sam’s cinematic debut single, “All I Never Wanted” (Oct. 27), not only headlines his venture with Grade A, but alleviates fans from a seven-month wait for new music.
Boasting loose similarities to Juice and LAROI’s emotive, love-torn soundscape, Zzz is truly just at the cusp of what he’ll be able to achieve. “All I Never Wanted” debuts his distinct style of melodic rap — proving that he’s much more than meets the eye.
His voice is truly captivating — seemingly taking the best parts about LAROI and Juice’s signature cadences and melting them together with comparable conviction. It’s impressive how much emotion he relays on “All I Never Wanted,” hypnotically crooning over chopped piano melodies and punchy drums about pursuing his dreams. To the dismay of his girlfriend, it’s a push and pull between his creative flame and, perhaps, his former flame throughout the effects-clad visual (directed by Steve Cannon).
Previously touting just five tracks on SoundCloud, Grade A’s new hitmaker has already locked in with Internet Money, Taz Taylor, Bakkwoods, Travis Barker and Benny Blanco since signing with the label in March. His breakout hit, “RUNNING AWAY” (March 25), is a true emo-rap anthem — “running away” from his problems and letting the music be his medicine, singing “I swear this music is the reason I ain’t struggling.”
To preface, Grade A caught The Kid LAROI at just age 13 in Australia, and signed Juice WRLD right before “Lucid Dreams” became one of the most popular tracks of the SoundCloud era. With his vocal talent, maybe Sam (“Zzz”) could be Bibby’s next chart-topper, as the singer-rapper just signed a $6 million partnership deal with Warner Records — further displaying the overall investment behind his success.
Despite these comparisons, if there’s anything Lil Bibby can do, it’s spot culture-shifting talent from a mile away. And in Zzz’s case, he has everything around him to become another beaming voice of our generation.
Check out “All I Never Wanted” below!
