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Speaking on the song,
Pesh Milli had this to say: “I fought so hard to get this song on the
project. Shout out to Elevated for producing the track - this is one of the
top 5 songs I’ve ever done. Anywhere I perform this song, women lose their
minds. Remember those pirate ships back in the day and people would pop out
the water because they heard the siren song? This is my siren song. It’s so
much fun and I can’t wait to shoot this video!”
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 | | Pesh Milli Photo: Malike Anderson & Devon Smith |
“Every time I
step out the booth, they’re like: Pesh, that’s another one!” is the
addictive hook at the heart of rising rapper Pesh Milli’s latest rousing
hood anthem “Another One”. And it is a sentiment that reflects the
hyper confident mindset of this artist, who feels he is destined to
become the next superstar to make it out of the fabled
grounds of Bed Stuy,
Brooklyn.
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With a
three-dimensional storytelling ability and raw, wheezy vocals, Pesh Milli
can flip the switch from gutter to smooth in a flash; a party trick that
reflects a childhood spent studying formative Beanie Sigel and Ginuwine’
records. And it is this versatility and songwriting prowess that Pesh
believes will ultimately set him apart from his peers over the coming
years.
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“I’m going to
give you some heartbreak, anger, turn up music; all of that!” explains
Pesh Milli of his artistry. “I’m not afraid to sing R&B over
a drill beat or rap directly for the hood guys. I can do everything!”
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The artist - who
grew up in a musical household with a father who DJ’d old soul vinyls -
continues: “Look, I think the game needs more honest songwriters, so
that’s what I am trying to bring back. I show my wins but also my losses
in these songs, because I want the people on my block to be like: ‘Oh
shit, he’s just like us!’”
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In previous
breakout songs like “Rap Girl,” a Biggie’ Dreams-esque celebration of the strong black
femininity that pulses through the veins of hip hop, and “V Roy,”
a haunting, conceptual ghetto blues confessional which considered what
kind of dangerous circumstances might trigger someone to worship the
violent subject matter of the late drill rapper King Von,
Pesh Milli showcased a potent combination of cinematic storytelling
lyricism and butter smooth melodies—deservedly securing a cult fanbase on
the independent circuit.
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However, with new
2023 EP, What Can I Say (the follow-up to
underrated 2020 album Okay 4 Now), Pesh has leveled up
his sound and is now rapping with much more urgency than before. “A
couple of rappers been copying and pasting my flows” he nonchalantly
spits on triumphant opener “What Can I Say,” a banger that
contains audio from a Pesh Milli interview on Sway In The Morning,
where the legendary DJ praised the Brooklyn artist for his songwriting
abilities.
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The juxtaposition
of the gutter drill bassline and soft, bouncy Spanish guitars on “Critical”
is a further reminder of Pesh Milli’s ability to mix the rough with the
smooth. On this new song, the emcee reflects on how he “used to be
punching in on the clock” and hustling in minimum wage jobs. The
rapper says it is important he doesn’t forget his responsibility to
represent for the underdogs; something he always loved about the
rags-to-riches music of legends like Biggie, Jay-Z,
and Nipsey Hussle.
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“Shit, I used
to work in McDonald’s, Popeyes, even construction! But hip hop is a noble
stage, where you can speak directly to the underdogs and lift them up.
That’s what I want to do, because it’s really tough out here right now!
With my music, I have a drive to put my family in a different situation
and be that spark that changes a lot of people’s lives. I feel like
people can feel that determination in the songs. It inspires them to win.”
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Another highlight
from the new EP is “Painless,” where Pesh Milli tries to break
through his sins over a sad, piano-driven beat. “I done took all my
Ls, so the wins were destined,” he proudly raps, making sure not to
forget about his dead loved ones and their sacrifices. “The people who
I lost, particularly in the streets, always fuel my music,” he
explains. “They are with me every time that I go into the booth.”
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In a rap industry
where toxic masculinity and misogyny continue to prosper, Pesh Milli says
the way in which his music celebrates the sensuality and strength of
Black women will also let him create a lane that so many other male
artists are neglecting. This energy is particularly evident on another
new single, “Spicy,” where the artist can’t decide whether he
wants to be a gangster or a lover boy and completely nails the
electricity of a sweaty dance floor where two potential lovers have just
locked eyes.
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“It is
important to me to connect with my female audience,” says Pesh Milli
of his process in the studio. “I want to show my affinity to the
women, always. I definitely made a conscious effort to do less of the
tough guy, grimy music, and focus more on the ladies, and that’s when I
got bigger and better. I want to make the ladies feel good because of my
songs, not like they’re a punchline.”
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Looking ahead to
the future, Pesh Milli has big dreams. He wants his label, Blue
Collar, to become as big as Death Row and Bad
Boy Records were back in their 1990s heyday, and for him and his
first cousin Goonie (who inspired Pesh to start rapping)
to become a production duo that writes songs for Beyonce. Bed
Stuy has produced legendary rappers like Biggie, Lil
Kim, Jay-Z, Big Daddy Kane, and Mos
Def, and Pesh Milli says he’d ultimately like to ensure the area
continues to thrive musically speaking.
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“My music is
fun in a world that is dark,” he proclaims. “It’s one of the
dopest sounds out and an amalgamation of rapping, singing, melodic hooks,
hymns. My shit is like butter to your ear, period.” For Pesh
Milli, What Can I Say is a chance to go to the top and
enter into the conversations inside the major label boardrooms. “So
long as the bag is right,” he concludes, “I am going to take
things right to the top. Just watch me. This is just the start of my
journey.”
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What Can I Say - EP Track Listing
- What Can I Say
- Painless
- Back Outside
- Critical
- Another One
- Sturdy Up
- Spicy
- Gauntlet (4 Ever)
2023 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM (You DID Hear It From Me!) Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn Follow Me On This Blog.
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