Rating: ***1/2
Shifty Eyes is a Canadian rapper hailing from Alberta and I'd be lying if I said that upon reading that about him I wasn't initially skeptical of his rap skills. I mean for better or worse, Canada did bring us Drake, I guess. But Alberta? It doesn't really put me in mind to hip-hop royalty.
Because I don't judge books by covers, I dug into the single called "Beast" when I found it in my inbox. I mean, it's a single, so even if it sucked, at least it wouldn't take up too much of my time, right?
Listen to "Beast" below:
BOOM! We are out to a quick start. The verse starts almost immediately and it's a hot one. He's a capable rhymer for sure. The chorus of "I'm a motherfuckin' beast!" is basic but it's fun. He sounds like the twisted love child of Eminem and Shaggy. The subsequent verses are strong if not particularly inspiring. It's a fun track that should raise Shifty's profile and prep us for a full-length release down the road.
This one is worth a spin or two for sure. Shifty Eyes can definitely rap and is lyrically very competent. What he delivers next will give us a clearer vision of his place in the stacked rap genre. I'll be listening.