This week rising St Louis Rapper BurnaMaleik has continued to build up his profile with his 6FOR6 event. For those wondering, 6FOR6 is a series of tracks Maleik has released this week to show his ever-growing fanbase the versatility he possesses as an artist. Today we will be going through each of these six singles, giving our thoughts on what makes this batch so unique.
Track 1: “November”
When starting a new series, it’s crucial to capture the listeners from the start, and “November” shows BurnaMaleik is aware of this. After his polarizing “Reparations” and “New Slaves” singles, who would have thought Burna could serenade his audience with exuberant vocals. With this soothingly driven experience, the only visible criticism comes in the creative department as it sounds similar to songs from Drake or Tory Lanez.
Track 2: “Do or Die“
Taking the accessibility from “November” and the flare he is known and loved for, Burna Maleik makes his most ambient record with “Do or Die”. With its angelic background, Maleik’s high pitched vocals, and intuitive flow makes for a quick-paced epic. Lyrically, the rag to riches story told is pretty inspirational, and besides its abrupt ending, this is a perfect single.
Track 3: “3 Way“
Halfway through the series and each installment seems to be getting more interesting than the last. “3 Way” continues this trend as here, Maleik goes for a mellow trap banger. Riding off the instrumentals dramatic chords, Burna Maleik dives deep into his bag, whispering his bars to chill the listener’s spine.
Track 4: “She Taxin“
Even on the weaker side of the series, “She Taxin” is still a decent track. While its 2000s r&bish instrumental has a relaxing feel, Burna’s flow is too lifeless for this to really resonate with me. Adding insult to injury, the surface level lines about love only makes things even worse. Despite the poor outcome, BurnaMaleik’s audacity to keep expanding his artistic boundaries are super commendable.
Track 5: “Ice Cold“
Near the end, Maleik raises the roof with the braggadocios ballad “Ice Cold”. From the clapping drums to the chopped up robotic vocals to the showmanship, this track is brag rap at its finest. With everything set up perfectly, its a little disappointing as on top of its poor mixing, BurnaMaleik’s delivery is way to laid back for the energy the beat withholds.
Track 6: “Committed“
Finishing things, “Committed” is an inspirational toast for what’s to come. Over a minimalistic instrumental consisting of some simple drum patterns and a dramatic piano, Maleik shows the best of his rapping ability as he looks at the life he’s living and the dreams he’s working too. Being personal, heartfelt and well-produced, “Committed” is well summed up by the phrase “best for last”.
Conclusion
Walking away from 6FOR6, I’m blown away by the display of artist integrity. Burna Maleik sure did stick to his word when stating that he made six unique sounding anthems to show off his versatility. From lyrical rap to r&b, there’s truly something for every music fan here. Going forward, Burna Maleik has proven his ability to create booming singles, which now leaves him with the ultimate task of delivering a fulfilling full-length experience. If you want to stay up to date with St Louis’s hottest act, be sure to follow @burnamaleik on Instagram!
Event Rating: 9.0/10
Written and scored by: Mr. Fantastic, owner and founder of Fantastic Hip Hop
