Release Date: March 11, 2014
The freshly signed and unparalleled Le1f raps, “Basic bitches must think I’m a head case/They ain’t fucking with this next level headspace,” on his debut EP Hey.
The openly gay New York native has released three stellar mixtapes within the last two years and is behind the production of Das Racist’s internet hit, “Combination Pizza Hit and Taco Bell.” Hey features Le1f’s sensational “Wut,” the breakout track from his Dark York mixtape, and four new tracks.
Le1f’s enigmatic EP flips common notions of hip hop on their heads. Not only does he challenge gender normative aspects of the genre, but he pushes the envelope sonically. The beats are particularly tactile; the depth and differences in ticks, drums, and bulbous accents give them delicious texture. When Le1f mixes his beats with his impeccable lyricism, they produce darkly quirky tracks.
He tends to use dancehall, house, and hip hop influences that are manipulated into an entirely new, nearly paradoxical beats. Everything Le1f has touched is instant gold—like Midas, if Midas had a tumblr. The roots of other genres are heard in every track, whether they were produced by Le1f himself or his preferred collaborators, 5kinandbone5 and Boody.
The beats pop, sizzle, and ooze in ways that barely seem possible.
The second track, “Sup,” sounds like a typical hip hop beat took Molly and wanted to amplify its sonic viscosity for a trip. Each of the beats throb, but are nuanced in ways that don’t let them fall into the background. The lyrics mixed with the beats are like Mentos in soda; its an unexpected explosion.
The barplay and well-crafted lyricism is jaw-dropping for its intricacies and wicked cleverness. Le1f’s sexual orientation is often the subject matter, and on the EP’s single “Boom” he spits with ferocity, “Welcome to Banjee Burger. I cannot take your order/New World Order/LGBT cuties all over the world are diamonds and pearls/Black sheep, black sheep, sexy ass fur.”
The snarky wordplay doesn’t come out of thin air, but listeners are left constantly guessing what Le1f is going to do next.
Hey closes with “Buzz.” It has trap-like synths and a kicking drum, making it the most entrancing moment on the EP. The production of the beat literally buzzes and squeaks, but the bass underneath grounds it.
Le1f’s label debut is wicked strong and has a bite to it, even though its curtness makes it feel fleeting. Hey is just the tip of the iceberg. Now that Le1f has XL/Terrible Records backing him up, he’s about to explode.
Le1f – Hey tracklist:
- “Hey”
- “Sup”
- “Boom”
- “Wut”
- “Buzz”
