Photo courtesy of Kevin Gates on Instagram
Kevin Gates unloaded “Super General Freestyle” on Thursday (June 9). The controversial track has become an instant viral sensation, Trending #1 on Youtube with over 2M views in under 24hours, largely on account of the eyebrow-raising name checks of several female artists including Nicki Minaj, Rubi Rose and Beyoncé.
The new song is a remix of Kodak Black’s No. 1 hit “Super Gremlin, setting the tone for Gates’ highly-anticipated new album Khaza (set to release on June 17), named after his youngest son.
Gates is easily one of the most unique, successful and least discussed artists in hip-hop. While his music is distinctly compelling, the mainstream audience tends to overlook his talent behind the mic for his admittedly questionable comments and antics. This time around, he seems to be using his controversial reputation to his advantage in the lead-up to the release of his third studio album – aiming to go 3-for-3 in the Billboard Top 10 since his chart-topping 2016 debut named after his daughter, Islah.
Throughout the dense five-minute-long soliloquy on “Super General Freestyle,” Gates’ powerful, unrelenting vocals intertwine tightly-packed bars about his real life — sounding more like a confessional than a promotional single. Over the haunting “Super Gremlin” beat (produced by ATL Jacob) he revisits many of the darkest times of his tumultuous journey, from betrayal to addiction to a life in-and-out of prison, also addressing many of the burning questions on fans’ minds: Most notably, his relationship with his wife and longtime partner, Dreka.
The second half of “Super General Freestyle” is what has the internet in a frenzy, where Gates boldly shoots his shot at some of the most sought-after women in the industry. While these callouts might seem shocking, fans of Gates are familiar with his decidedly unorthodox communication style and know his raunchy comments are surely meant as compliments. Rubi Rose is the only one mentioned in the song to respond, seemingly more flattered than insulted as she tweeted a simple: “Kevin Gates freaky as hell lol.”
The accompanying music video seems to have been shot during Gates’ recent headline-creating trip to New York City that has had fans begging for answers. In it, he’s shown pulling up to Invite Only Studios in Manhattan in what appears to be the same outfit he wore during the multiple viral videos that circulated earlier that day.
Capitalizing on the frenzy of “Super General Freestyle” he also dropped what appears to the project’s official lead single, “Intro“, on Friday with an accompanying black-and-white music video. The hungry Kevin Gates heard on these two songs is exactly what fans have been waiting for.
Unapologetically operating at the highest level on the fringes of the industry, Gates is consistently exceeding expectations and breaking barriers on account of his uniquely authentic music, larger-than-life personality and fiercely loyal fan base.
While his antics are questionable, his talent and star power are undeniable. It’s very likely that all of this excitement will channel itself into another successful release for Kevin Gates’ long-awaited third studio album, Khaza, scheduled to release next week.
Watch Kevin Gates’ “Super General Freestyle” Below”
