After a slew of singles and visuals, underground VA emcee Fly Anakin shares his new album Frank alongside the visuals for the unreleased song “Class Clown.” The 17-track body of work includes previously released and widely-praised singles “Black Be The Source,” “No Dough,” “Ghost” and “Sean Price,” and is a testament to the rapper’s unique style of rap. He mixes pure street bravado with personal tales and a wild imagination over smooth R&b/soul infused soundscapes that remind listeners of the classic retro music that raised him.
From the get-go, tracks like “Love Song (Come Back),” “Dontbeafraid,” and the tribute “Sean Price” open up the project on a grand note. From the mellow soulful aesthetics, punchy drum grooves, and warm textures, Fly Anakin eats up these beats with ease and flows seamlessly with a nonchalant demeanor. Tracks like “Underdog Theme” exude lofi sensibilities with their moody and somewhat lethargic energy which fits Anakin’s stylish flow and knack for painting graphic images of the street life and then some. Not the type to be stuck in a cycle, he touches on important issues affecting black folks on the Pink Siifu assisted “Black Be The Source” while on “Grammy Snubnose” he pays homage to the deceased brothers while imploring listeners that time is of the essence so waste no time in showing him some much-needed love. On “Poisonous Primates” and “Telepathic,” Anakin is in full showboat mode and makes rapping look extremely easy with his stream of consciousness flow paired with his witty wordplay.
You can also view the kaleidoscopic-themed Jay Green-directed video for the previously-unheard track “Class Clown,” which follows Anakin on a frigid night drive through London.
‘Frank’ is out now on all DSPs here.
Fly Anakin is a rapper from Richmond, Virginia, who’s been described by Madlib as “one of the illest MCs”. He’s previously collaborated with the likes of Freddie Gibbs, Evidence, Ohbliv, ANKHLEJOHN and is co-founder of the Richmond rap collective Mutant Academy. FlySiifu’s, his 2020 album with Pink Siifu, and follow-up EP $mokebreak featured collaborations with Liv.e, Foushée, Madlib, ZelooperZ & Black Noi$e.
Connect with Fly Anakin: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify
