Dallas based artist GuitarEmoji's 2019 release of Epitome Of Stupidity was the album that gifted fans worldwide a new experimental yet refined approach into the influential resurgence of late 90s/early 2000's hip-hop, punk & emo rock music. With a strong opening track like "Thug It Out" that punches your lights out with a head-banging tempo and an array of hard edge melodies, it was known early on that this particular angle was where he would comfortably find his footing. Those core elements in his sound left more room for surprise when we heard songs like "Stand Alone" & "Poster Bois", which are more ballad-forward. This marked as a heavy introduction into the prismatic characteristics that describe the unshrinking entity that is GuitarEmoji.
His most recent project to date titled Drake-182 serves as a major enhancement to his originality in not just his songwriting abilities, but from a vocal standpoint. Sitting at 13 tracks in length, the album is inimitably sitting in its own category just as his previous album did, always breaking himself out of each comfort zone. Already tenacious on his own, guest features from Dallas native rapper Tay Money and Benny Bandit shine through as more than fitting for the landscape of the album. Nothing about this listen is lighthearted; unclouded production paired with sickening vocal arrangements add this newly-heard fervor to GuitarEmoji's presence on each track. This is especially heard and felt in favorited tracks like "Bloody0", "Dubbin", & "Off Track".
Easily a 10/10 recommended listen from yours truly.
Press play on Drake-182 below: