| A prodigious rhymesmith with a knack for exploiting clever concepts, Wasiu is one of the most gifted rappers in Montreal. Responding to the release of Jay-Z‘s acclaimed 4:44, Wasiu shared “44:4 (44 Four’s),” an update to “22 Two’s,” Jay-Z’s classic statement of lyrical prowess from his debut album Reasonable Doubt. Doubling up the original’s core conceit, Wasiu concocts a brilliant verse, using 44 variations of the words “for” and “four” in two and a half minutes. The video, premiered by Mass Appeal, playfully brings the concept to life, with the Afro-Canadian rapper emceeing in a large amphitheater, generating a clone of himself every time he says a variation of “4.” As the running total increases, the clones form the shape of the song’s title in the amphitheater seats. With “44:4’s,” Wasiu proves that he never keeps it less than 100 when he applies his creative mind to rap music. Earlier this Summer, Wasiu released Snow Mexican, an accomplished, politically charged EP. Inspired by a fake (yet believable) Donald Trump tweet and stuffed with innovative electronic production from the likes of Tommy Kruise, Dear Lola, and others, Snow Mexican finds Wasiu exploring what it means to be a perpetual outsider–approaching issues from the perspective of an African in Canada, an English-speaker in a French-speaking city, and a Canadian trying to make it in the American rap industry. Perhaps known best in his homeland for his commercials for Kijiji, Canada’s answer to Craigslist, which showcase Wasiu’s prodigious skills behind the mic, Wasiu has earned praise from the likes of Noisey, Complex, Pigeons & Planes, and Okayplayer. In the past year, Wasiu performed at SXSW, The Montreal Jazz Fest, POP Montreal, and Canadian Music Week, and opened for Little Simz, Jazz Cartier, BADBADNOTGOOD, Grandmaster Flash, Dead Obies, Sean Leon, and others. Watch out for MTLiens 2, Wasiu’s next full album, coming later this year. Listen to “44:4 (44 Four’s)”: https://soundcloud.com/afrowasiu/44fours Check out the Mass Appeal premiere: https://massappeal.com/wasiu-44-fours-video-premiere Listen to the Snow Mexican EP: https://soundcloud.com/afrowasiu/sets/snow-mexican-ep/ // open.spotify.com/album/0XU3hqVUv4KOewI5f1mb9a Purchase the Snow Mexican EP: itunes.apple.com/ca/album/snow-me…d1245841847?l=fr |
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