For many years now, the west coast has had a pretty strong chokehold on the rap game. From OG’s like Ice Cube, Ice-T, Snoop Dogg, Eazy E, E-40 and many more, there is no secret that they paved the way for all of those that came up in the game after them. Vince Staples, for sure, is a descendant of each of these legendary names in one way or the other. The Long Beach, CA artist has been applying some serious pressure dating back to 2011 and today, the 28-year-old is in full throttle with the release of his self-titled fourth studio album.
To further promote his album, Vince Staples took a trip to spit some infectious bars during his chat with the LA Leakers. Repping his Cali upbringing, Staples takes on Dr. Dre’s classic “Xxplosive” instrumental where he takes his time to unapologetically spit lyrics about coming up in Los Angeles, nods 50 Cent, and even takes a couple of bars to speak on street politics and social justice issues.
It feels like Vince has been around forever in the rap game, and with every contribution he seems to remind the world just why he’s got a cult following. Although he’s never reached the top of the charts like some of his fellow peers (Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, and a few other of his Odd Future friends), he expertly delivers stories with such authenticity. This is why his fans will forever ride for him.
In a recent interview with Interview Magazine, the rapper talked about how he had to grow into being comfortable with his music and performing: “I wasn’t used to being comfortable at all. I didn’t like making music. I was just unenthused, because it was a weird position to be in. When I first started doing shows, it wasn’t easy. I would be checking my phone mid-performance and not looking at the crowd.”
With his new Vince Staples album now in full throttle, the rapper reminds you why he shouldn’t be slept on.