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This month, the forward-thinking NYC cultural icon and one of the founding members of the A$AP Mob, A$AP Illz officially entered the music game - hosting & executive producing an ambitious, experimental collaborative mixtape comprised of a hungry new class of exciting new underground artists, producers, and creatives from around New York, debuting their edgy, psychedelic sound.
‘Words Can’t Explain’ is a 2-sided, 20-track mixtape executive produced by ASAP Illz and Ziggy Don with over 20 contributors (listed below) - all hungry new artists, producers, and creatives bonded together by their unique approach and distinct style. The tape explores a new kind of hip hop, one the taps into the counter-mainstream energy and unintuitive approach of genres like punk rock and jazz - channeling their trippy creativity into a unique, vibey sound that somehow manages to be both laid back and in-your-face.
‘Words Can’t Explain’ sprang up organically out of a newly formed community of like-minded, fringe-character creatives you can find hanging out in the streets of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, specifically around Orchard Street. The loosely associated group is made up of a variety of talented new creatives, artists, producers, photographers, creative directors, etc. mostly from Brooklyn and Harlem. With their unofficial headquarters on Orchard Street, they are bonded together by their affinity for fresh ideas, exclusive fashion, and gritty, boundary-pushing hip hop – a reflection of their shared psychedelic vision for what hip hop in 2021 can look and sound like
Artists flexing their creative muscle on ‘Words Can’t Explain’ include Fleego, Dee Aura, HoodFly Mike, Semi S7evin, 30Mg Letto, Siah Flizzy, Tee War, VIP Skylark, Jew Gleece, and So Icy Jordan. With trippy, boundary-breaking production from ZTonthebeat, Shittin Cari, Epondabeat, Souf Mode, Vinny Indigo, Muddigold, Aizzieee, JV Onnabeat, Broski Ali, 1rision, Pvyso, 100yrd, and Sickosouljah. And the visuals we’ll be seeing released over the next weeks and months produced by N.Productions, Visionary Visuals, and Jah n Friends Photograph.
Throughout the tape, the group explores different combinations of dark melodies, druggy, asymmetrical production, and gritty “offbeat” street bars – creating an entirely new brand of punk-rock type hip hop that is distinct, raw, and unlike anything you’ve ever heard… but still unmistakably New York.
The project displays a wide range of dynamic sounds and experimental production. Songs like “Oversteer” “Blender” and early fan-favorite “Love World” give off that hardcore, in-your-face almost punk rock type energy that you might expect when you see the colorfully-dressed mosh pit forming. What’s completely unexpected is the other, more laid back gear you can find on songs like “Flood the Streets” “A.” and “Yamborghini Tee” - a nod to the legendary fallen icon, A$AP Yams.
The distinct style being developed on ‘Words Can’t Explain’ has already caught the ears of important musical pioneers like Young Thug and fellow A$AP Mobber, A$AP Rocky - with a video circulating of Illz and Rocky previewing the new music on the streets of NY. Ahead of the project’s release, the ‘Words Can’t Explain’ crew traveled to Miami to preview their new music during Rolling Loud. On the day after it dropped, August 27th, they took to PIANOS around the corner from their Orchard Street stomping grounds for a packed-out release party and electric performance of ‘Words Can’t Explain’ for the first time.
Going forward, there are no plans set in stone for the edgy, experimental cool kids of Orchard Street – but you better believe that ‘Words Can’t Explain’ and each of its talented individual contributors are about to shake up the New York City sound. There’s only so much that can be said about a project called ‘Words Can’t Explain’, which really must be experienced first hand, so buckle up and be prepared for a one-of-a-kind collaborative effort and sonic experience from a new generation of NY artists.
Check out the A$AP Illz hosted 'Words Can't Explain' below - and be on the lookout for new visuals and new developments from Illz and each of this project's talented contributors.
Listen to "WORDS CAN'T EXPLAIN" : https://open.spotify.com/album/1DE35jpQI2iF8HTOr832mr?si=L0OoIdUxRdiG4Dji1UO49A&dl_branch=1&nd=1
