Emerging artist Civ Pierre represents his Inland Empire roots on the latest double releases of “Civ in the I.E.” and “Inland Pressure.” The two tracks highlight his introspective lyricism and laid back west coast rap style. Each track has impressive production featuring rhythmic hip-hop beats that glide between 808s and melodies. Civ has a unique inflection in his voice as he spits his bars.
“Civ in the I.E.” has a trippy sound. The beat consists of bass and a delicate harmony on a loop. The rapper changes his speed as the beat drops in and out. His style is reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar, changing his tones with a smooth aggression. Halfway through, the song completely changes its speed and melody. The change is noticeable yet seamlessly blends within the rapper’s verses.
“Inland Pressure” is the perfect mellow trap beat to bump in the car on a sunny day in Southern California. The artist vocalizes “inland pressure” as the hook then raps over the mixture of subtle violins and bass. He spits, “I came up, had to focus, had to trust God with the process.” The beat is the focal point of the song, yet the one-of-a-kind complexity of his voice gives the track that much more charisma.
Civ Pierre is a hidden gem amongst the Los Angeles rap scene. Keeping his identity anonymous, the rapper has a mysterious allure about him. His sound is completely polished and worthy of mainstream airplay, but possesses a freshness yearning to be gatekept within the underground. Unafraid to speak on controversial topics in his music, Civ Pierre successfully balances thought provoking rap with catchy hip-hop production.
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