Rating: ***
Akash is an 18-year old Indian Hip-Hop artist from New Jersey and he has released a 10-track LP called "Rooftop Vibes" that I was pretty eager to check out.
He's released some singles over the past couple of years that I dug, so I was especially interested in what kind of stuff he was going to unleash in a longer format.
Luckily for me, I found a link to it in my email and away we go!
Watch the video for "Do the Time" below:
The first track is the single, Do the Time. It's basic stuff. He's got a good flow, but it's lyrically pretty bland. "Bitch let's do the time..." Kinda lame. The beat is decent. The second track is called Exotic. It's a song about fancy cars. The beat is a little darker. He's a good rapper, but it's still pretty basic lyrically. Sacrifice is next and it's definitely catchier than the first two tracks. Text Me is a slower jam. Very Drake-ish. Not bad. Experiments is a welcome change. It sounds nothing like the earlier cuts. Electronic and funky. It's my favorite track of the bunch thus far. Ride My Wave is track number 6 and it's a reggae-infused little number. This album is all over the place. Not a bad track, but it's not winning any originality points either. Distance and Visions are both solid numbers and Drake-ish af. Visions especially so. Chance is the penultimate cut, and it's dope. I really like it. Akash comes off a little more hard and a little more real and it's really refreshing. The direction is direct and the rhymes are on point. My favorite track of the second half of the album for sure. We end with Passion and it's a heartfelt closer. This is another good tune with a catchy chorus to boot. The album ended pretty strong, so that's a plus.
Akash is 18 years old and I honestly can't wait to hear what's next. When he develops a voice that is truly his own, the sky's the limit. Until that time, we have a very solid collection of Drake-influenced pop-rap and that's just fine for now. Recommended.