When I curated a list of the top artists to watch in 2017, I made the mistake of not including South Carolina’s own, Nick Grant. Nick Grant is who your favorite rapper is listening to. His mixtape 88 was hailed as one of the top releases of last year, and he’s freestyled his way into the eardrums of listeners. Grant is already earning comparisons to Nas and other legendary MCs. Of course, fans couldn’t contain their excitement when they learned that Grant has released his debut album Return of the Cool.
From start to finish, Return of the Cool offers a fresh, soulful sound that’s not always heard in today’s music. Tracks like “Sometimes,” “All of You” and “The Sing Along” show the variety of textures that Nick Grant brings to the table. The sound quality of this album was perfectly orchestrated by producers DJ Khalil, Kareem Riggins, Dominc Gordan, Don Cannon and Organized Noize. In a recent interview with Hot 97, he explained why he decided to name the album Return of the Cool.
“I used the cool to describe what I feel hip-hop should be present day based on the people that I grew up listening to early on like Nas and Jay-Z.”
Besides the production, Return of the Cool has playback lyrics, which is also a rarity these days.
“Money is the root of evil that destroyed the family trees.”
“God said keep it classy, but heaven marked you absent, you make my heart beat fasterI pray the bras are strapless.”
Grant set out to make an album about his life experiences and he did just that. His demeanor in interviews and skills as a rapper prove that he’s polished and ready for everything that’s about to come his way.
Listen to Return of the Cool below.
