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Keeping up with the unpredictable Shawny Binladen is a full-time job, but it’s one of the goals of this column. For some reason, he released a mixtape titled Merry Wickmas 2 (Deluxe) this month. The original dropped back in December, but this is really just a completely different project altogether. Confusing name aside, the project contains 18 new short songs that feature Shawny moving at a rapid pace over hyperkinetic sample flips of everything from T-Pain to Max B to Journey. Appearing later in the tape, “Blockstar” is chill compared to everything else that comes before it. The beat by EpOnDaBeat and Sliick adds pounding percussion to a sample that sounds like it could have been ripped from Jersey Boys. Shawny does what he does best, rapping for a solid minute about trapping and hanging on the block. It doesn’t get old.
With artists releasing songs at a fast and furious pace, it’s difficult for the average hip-hop head to keep track of it all—no matter how tapped in they are. That’s why we created The Ones, a daily post to highlight the song you need to hear.
Check out previous Ones, and listen to new rap from Shawny Binladen and more on our Spotify playlist.
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