I HATE TO SAY IT, but it's the truth -- the Boston music scene is lackin. Yes, there's a few artists who have gotten some recognition, but when Cousin Stizz and Joyner Lucas are your two most well-known young artists, it's not a great sign. I do love me some Stizz, but outside of the Boston area, the same isn't always said. Coming up in Boston's rap and R&B scene, while the Van Buren boys are moving in the right direction and DTheFlyest, Vintage Lee, and 7981 Kal have all shown potential, nothing's really popped yet. Since it's so open in the city, I'd like to throw out one artist I haven't seen anyone talk about yet: Khamari.
One 6-song project in, the Boston-based R&B singer is real new to the game, but don't let his experience trick you. This is one dude who's tuned into the times while building a strong ass base to jump off from.
On his debut project, Eldorado, Khamari's flow is incredibly easy to listen to, thanks in part to hopping on multiple chill beats that combine a slow-tempoed acoustic or bass and wavy percussion. For nearly all, the result is a song that belongs on a golden hour summer playlist. Is that a real exact ideal listening situation? Oh, 100%, but it's just how it is. From here on out, your summer afternoons are gonna be thanking me I put you on.
It’s not just the vibe that fits that listening situation though, his lyrics are perfect for it as well. I'm not blown away by his lyricism, but in his defense, he is so early in his career. Where he's at, he's impressive enough. His ability to expose himself through his lyrics is already a strong skill set that isn't always easy for young artists. How he can do so in catchy, relatable, and unforgettable way is more advanced than his experience would suggest. Just take a look at his song The Heat. What stands out to me is the transition between the bridge to the chorus:
And I don't mean to make you feel no type of way; But I got a few things that I want to say; I been running running 'way from the heat
From my perspective, Khamari's talking about a relationship that's on the edge of ending, but he wants to talk things through, which until now, he's been too scared to face. It's not 100% "there" yet, good enough to make me say "holy fuck, he bodied that!" but damn my guy has shown some serious potential!
As is, it's hard to really judge an artist with such a small sample size. For now, I think it's more important to focus on the things Khamari does well than to try and nitpick. Of course there's areas of improvement, but I want to let the guy have time to grow a bit before honing in on those parts. Moving forward, I have absolutely no clue where he's gonna take his sound and style, which to me is the most exciting part of anticipating new music from him. Like I said, he's got a strong base, but he can take it wherever he wants. What will be the "Khamari sound?" Who the hell knows right now, I can just tell you it's gonna be fun watching this man grow into, and hopefully far past, his potential.
PERSONAL FAVORITES: That Girl, Pull Up, The Heat
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