Uprising rapper Random was raised by a single mom alongside two of his siblings in a poverty-ridden household in a middle-class suburb in New Jersey and later moved around dangerous cities like Fayetteville, North Carolina, Washington Heights, New York, and Port Au Prince, Haiti. After settling down and focusing on his music sometime in 2023, he released a handful of singles and now he has some songs that showcase his varied subject matter and distinct style of rap that centers on personal topics, punchlines, and bravado. His latest set of releases are loose tracks he recorded at the beginning of the year and aim to give new listeners a glimpse into his art.
The first track on the list is “Legends”, a heartfelt track ripe with candid lyrics that pay homage to the late Big Pun and his son Chris Rivers, whom Random looks up to. The beat has a punchy and sombre aesthetic and sees Random blending vivid lyricism with some reflective themes that talk about his dream of being noticed by the rappers he adores
“Keep Up With Me” is another release that talks about Random’s life struggles ranging from financial troubles, the never-ending search for proper music distribution and how he is slowly figuring his way out in this crazy world. The production here is a bit solemn and maybe nondescript but it works for Random’s off-beat flow and somewhat shaky vocals. He doesn’t shy from being candid about his flaws on this one and many listeners can relate to that and empathize with his dilenma.
“Movie Scene” changes drastically from the first two tracks and has more of a braggadocious theme with Random splicing of different rap schemes and no-holds-barred lines together over a bass-heavy drill backdrop. Lines like “Taste of victory, it’s a bitter taste till you get used to me/Movie scene like intrusive things/I’m in your spot where a dog should be/Put you in your place, you ain’t training me/If you ain’t a hot girl, don’t be chasing me” are vivid enough to capture his train of thought as he flexes his lyrical biceps.
The final track is “Jack and Jill”, a moody but punchy trap track that continues Random’s stream-of-consciousness style. He makes use of a carefree flow and fluid cadence that shows a drastic change from the previous songs. He sure has some interesting bars like “Life ain’t a game, but if it was, I got XP. Introvert, so I do well without you next to me,” which got my attention.
Overall, the tracks are a showcase of Random’s discography that he is slowly building. He doesn’t have a full-length project yet so these tracks are one-off singles he is using to promote himself.
Connect with Random: SoundCloud | TikTok | Linktree | Instagram
