Where are the greatest rappers born and made? Is it during summer breaks when they go into battles with their friends, in school in-between lessons, or is it just an innate talent? 50 Cent started his journey in the rough streets of Queens, New York, while Houston-born Travis Scott began with several musical groups in his teenage years. Also from Houston, Texas, Emsee is an emerging twenty-four-year-old rapper.
Emsee’s real name is Matthew Cisneros. His craft started budding at eight years old, and his skill grew during lunch table freestyles in school. Emsee used to enjoy making beats in his bedroom and producing and recording with rappers around his neighborhood, most of them much older than him.
Damn is a song that brings out all the bragging rights, and after listening to it, you are bound to go into Beast Mode and believe that you are indeed “That Guy.” It is part of Emsee’s 2022 album project, “Limbo.” Other notable songs in project Limbo are Easy, Randevu, Thrills, and 4542.
Directed by Matt Rush, the accompanying video is simple but crisp. It gives off the feeling that three artists were chilling in the studio before playing with beats and producing something. Other than the fact that Emsee and his counterparts’ outfits look polished, it would have passed off as another recording session.
Emsee opens the song with a staccato that immediately catches your attention and builds up hype for the song. He immediately throws all his weight into the verse, talking about the diamonds on his grill, his new Lebrons, and his ability to break both hearts and backs. His lyrics are pretty explicit and would leave anyone asking, damn, pun intended, did he really say that? The shock is, however, toned by Emsee’s rhythmical pace that leaves you concentrating on the vibe instead of the lyrics.
KNG GST smoothly transitions from Emsee and starts his verse with a power pose, casually reclined on the leather sofa, legs crossed, with an almost smug look on his face. He delivers the song’s hook, a sluggish, rich, and catchy drag of the word “Damn.” His style is slow-paced and almost sounds like he is talking. His voice, however, has that smooth timbre that keeps you interested. While Emsee locked his verse down, talking about staying loyal to his crew no matter the problems that fame brings, KNG GST locked his verse down with lyrics about a need to be good at his craft and stealing your ladies.
After KNG GST’s slower-paced verse, Big Tone picks up the tempo. He immediately discusses how the only thing that matters is getting the paper. He raps, “Gotta stay paid… Fuck getting laid, we rich nigga self-made time after time… See me getting paid selling dope like Pedro, capo.” His rhyming is just right, with a very clear and articulated delivery style.
The song ends with, “And we them CSG niggas yeah welcome to the class,” paying homage to Celestial Music Group, the group under which the artists are signed. If this is just the “beginning of their class,” listeners can only wait for what more Emsee, KNG GST, and Big Tone have to offer.
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/23FFzmqNSUtJkfOFTduE9C?si=c1b82b1897b348f6
“Damn” Music Video:
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