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In honor of Black Music Month, we’re celebrating freshman phenom, Ray Vaughn, who’s ascending to stardom as TDE’s latest West Coast marvel primed for fulfillment in at this time’s lyricism-starved trade.
Born and raised in Lengthy Seaside, Calif., the refreshingly genuine rapper just lately dropped his long-awaited debut mixtape, The Good The Unhealthy The Greenback Menu, the place he flexes his lyrical prowess, humorous witticisms and distinctive worldview over speaker-rattling beats.
“Simply ensure you hold it stuffed with integrity,” stated Vaughn about his writing course of on the mission in an interview with Billboard. “That’s the misplaced artwork kind, interval. Some data I don’t have bars on, it’s only a message, like ‘Pac. He didn’t have metaphors in each music. He was simply very direct, and stated what wanted to be stated, and also you felt it.
I really feel like these days we bought so many individuals who punch in. It’s not even a cohesive thought. What’s that verse about? What is that this music about? Who’re you speaking to? Who’s the viewers? I nonetheless imagine in that artwork kind. If I rap this a cappella, does this s—t make sense? It’s like poetry. When you can’t say it a cappella and it [doesn’t] is smart, it’s like rambling.”
With a powerful lineup of options together with LaRussell, Jay Rock, Isaiah Rashad, and Samara Cyn, Vaughn shines on standout tracks ‘KLOWN dance,’ ‘EAST CHATT,’ and ‘JANKY ethical COMPASS’ whereas displaying why he was chosen to XXL‘s 2025 Freshman class.
Try his 2025 XXL Freshman Freestyle under:
To stream The Good The Unhealthy The Greenback Menu, click on right here.
