Photo courtesy of OGM’s Saul Sosa
Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red and label Opium are key pieces of the underground’s current foundation. As his signees shift the culture into a “new wave” of rage-distorted bangers, Ken Car$on has been instrumental for the sound’s popularization.
As one of the most popular artists of the new generation, the “Teen X” emcee has gradually established himself as a superstar in his own right — consistently impressing fans with his off-the-wall energy and an ear for futuristic beats. Off the back of his 2021 mixtape Project X, Car$on pops off once more on his proper debut album, X.
Executive produced by Carti himself, the album holds 20 total tracks and features fellow Opium signees Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang. On Tuesday (July 6), Ken wasted no time previewing his project for fans, sharing the album’s lead single “The End.”
Showing an uncommonly sad side to his music, “The End” describes a romantic betrayal as Ken details what he would do for who he loves, even if they wouldn’t reciprocate the effort. The instrumental is equally as magnetic, as Carson croons over the rage-style production with ease showcasing a little versatility ahead of the LP.
“I rock this shit, yeah, no guitar, I rock this shit like Green Day
Give a fuck about what he or she say
But if I love you, I’m gon’ let it spray
If I love you, I do strange things for you, I’ll rob a bank for you
I’ll lose everything for you, I’d damn near go insane for you
And if the police came for you I’d take the blame for you
I woulda did anything for you, but you wouldn’t do the same for me”
Ken Carson — “The End”
On his newest project, Ken showcases the consistency that his fans have come to expect from him, continuing to evolve the sound that he has curated over the last few years. Each track features glitchy synths and bouncy 808 that resemble video game sound effects.
Following the album’s fantastic reception from Ken’s fanbase, it seems like he is ready to take the perfect opportunity to bring this project on the road. Joined by Destroy Lonely, Ken will be stopping in 33 cities across North America to showcase why his newest release is perfect for the big stage.
After a hectic 2021 with two projects, Car$on continued his run this year with Lost Files 3 EP, a pair of innovative visuals and his latest single “Teen Bean.” His connections in the scene have also flourished with his appearance on Yeat’s 2 Alivë as well as an upcoming SoFaygo collaboration. As a leader of the new wave, Car$on doesn’t see himself as an up-and-comer in the “underground” anymore.
“I definitely don’t think [I’m underground],” he told Complex in a new interview. “The underground thing, that word itself, I feel it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I don’t feel I’m underground because I can actually pull out shows. It’s different when you’re underground. I feel like I was underground [but I’m not anymore].”
Underground or not, Opium’s golden child is here to push the boundaries within his sub-genre, focusing on tracks perfect for festival stages around the world.
Check out ‘X’ by Ken Carson below!
