LUCKI is well known for his blunt lyricism and casual deliverance that allows him to escape a world of painful emotions, as his new album Flawless Like Me is perfectly conceited and utterly vulnerable all at once.
Chicago’s west side is home to the innovative rapper who took a different approach to the city’s soundscape. On his first solo album, Alternative Trap, LUCKI reinvented trap — creating a new sub-genre that expresses a darker, more emotional tone over treacherous 808 lines. Over the course of nearly a decade, LUCKI’s albums have proven to be therapy sessions — expressive of his struggle with heartbreak that is solved with the help of designer jeans and drugs.
Widely known as the “underground king,” LUCKI has risen to the mainstream occasion — earning a top 10 debut on Spotify the week of FLM’s release. The popular loner could finally be reaching his long-awaited rockstar status, as his last project, WAKE UP LUCKI, was a synth-induced, futuristic collaboration with F1LTHY — the Working on Dying producer known for his ethereal melodies, eerie bass lines and now viral track “Poland” with Lil Yachty. LUCKI teamed up with the producer to introduce his alter-ego Neptune: A heartless, detached character that is a more focused, darker side to his persona.
FLM‘s first two singles “Super Urus” and “New Drank” continued to build on Neptune’s character. As a super-villain who lives a fast lifestyle that is supported by excessive hubris and constant success, FLM mirrors a similar narrative to Future’s Pluto, however, Neptune still saves some legroom for LUCKI. The rapper juggles his known identity with his alter-ego, allowing him to brush over his emotions and tap into his music over the course of 24 total tracks.
Neptune morphs into full form with a promised partnership with Pluto on “KAPITOL DENIM,” opening with Pluto’s filtered vibrato that radiates over cosmic synthetic undertones. In an interview with Our Generation Music, LUCKI admits to his recent acquaintance with his trap influence for his tenth project.
“I just met Pluto like a month or two ago, that’s crazy seeing folk in person like, ‘Damn, folks really that!,” he said. “I’m pretty sure [Future] seen himself in me, we got the same interests.” Despite the recent familiarity with each other, the chemistry between the two flows effortlessly. They share a similar pain that is washed away with flooded-out watches, turbo-boosted sports cars and hand-sewn “KAPITOL DENIM.”
LUCKI maintains Pluto’s energy in the following track “COINCIDENCE” when he continues to share a romantic side that quickly turns numb when he’s reminded of Neptune’s persona. He gives his gross heart to his lover but quickly switches back with the reminder “Neptune hates when you switch gears” — remaining focused, dodging any distractions that may cause him to steer off-track. LUCKI’s laid-back deliverance and impeccable style are perfectly captured in the music video that was shot on Cole Bennett’s iPhone — filming the rapper cruising around London in a 1963 Rolls Royce and fitted in Gallery Dept. denim.
LUCKI opens up to his fans about the weight of family trauma that continues to burden his rapper lifestyle in the somber melody of “DNA.” Tune’s desire to constantly numb the pain is challenged by an identity that wishes to stay true to his roots. His profound recklessness is reflected in the lines: “I’m on drugs just like my auntie / I be thinking like ‘Tune, you the realest / Wonder what make ‘em wanna kill us.”
Willingly unfiltered with honest digression, the rapper returns to a suppressed shame with a well-known melancholic flow. However, Neptune quickly returns to a mob mentality on “GOODFELLAS” — flawlessly reflecting his ability to experience all of his emotions at once, but never allowing them to consume him.
Overall, it seems as though no one is as Flawless as LUCKI, as the album has proven to be a well-worth breakthrough in his career — carving a path for the rapper to rise as a prominent figure in both mainstream and underground circles. While FLM raises the underground king’s notoriety ten-fold, he doesn’t sacrifice quality at the core of his artistry.
Listen to LUCKI’s FLM below!
