“Please don’t disturb the militant monks.” Roger that. Nashville’s The BlackSon reinforces his social media bio with his latest release, Cut the Nets. Following three singles and a handful of freestyles this year, the two-pack bolsters The BlackSon’s consistent release schedule.
Think of Cut the Nets as a crucial pair of shots down the stretch. I wouldn’t quite call it a game-winning basket just yet; game trends point to even more new music in the near future.
“Coach K” is up first. The BlackSon sonically dribbles down the court with true point guard awareness. Naturally, artists find comfort in self-produced songs, so detecting his voice’s poise here is easy. Imagine playing on a basketball court that you built yourself. Ambient notes meet confident drums, and The BlackSon “tells [us] what it is.” Count the basket.
Track two arrives in the form of “Allan Houston,” sharing a name with the Tennessee Volunteers all-time leading scorer. Fellow Nashville lyricist Brian Brown checks into the game, calling for the the first verse. Both artists reflect on the value of leadership and persistence, reminding us of the dynamics of influence.
The BlackSon handedly receives Brown’s bounce pass at the top of the key (accounting for its spin) and checks the shot clock, conscious of every second he has. “The way the 1 becomes a 3, ain’t got no time for lazy.” He finds Brian again making a backdoor cut, who caps the song with another chorus that will mesmerize audiences live. Buckets.
Directed by FreeLunch and shot by MoonPresents, the “Allan Houston” video takes advantage of the rare snowy Nashville backdrop from February. However, The BlackSon and Brian Brown stay warm, exemplifying the chemistry within BlackCity Recordings. Cut the Nets reminds us of Nashville hip hop’s playbook depth. Ankles will be broken…
