Getting ready to release his highly anticipated debut album Chill Boy, which releases in February of this year, Kool Rula’s latest track, “HEREYE,” brings the record’s hype to new levels with its one-of-a-kind atmosphere and stunning visuals.
Seen by his past success with his viral song and video, “Relentless,” the Miami native is no stranger to putting together an experience which’s visual presentation is just as calculated as his songwriting and his newest song is no exception to this. Throughout the entire four-minute and eight-second journey that is his latest video, each frame adds buzz and excitement to the moment and in a rap game that loses creativity by the second, the unique looking backgrounds and cinematography add a nice breathe of fresh air to the genre. The bright sunny day we are welcomed into aesthetically gives off such warmth and comfort, but with between wind and crows chirping in the background, there is something unsettling in the air. As the video sets in, we see Rula pull up to a friend in an ice cream truck as he waits to pick him up. From the yelling emphasizing for the listeners to keep a safe social distance to the faint yet tone-setting violin, there is so much in the air during this opening, and while not all of our questions receive answered, the chopped up flow and wise yet personally scarred bars coming out of the mouth of Rula as we watch the world behind him crumble challenge you to think on top of the overall enjoyable presentation and musical presentation that boils from his delivery and the smooth instrumental. Building on the pensive verse of Rula’s, frequent collaborator Lexx Lunar strengthens the tracks ideas with more socially aware but emotionally damaged bars that challenge our minds while simultaneously tormenting our hearts. With two verses that have bounced off one another masterfully, the picture “HEREYE” is trying to bring to life is already vivid but tying up all loose ends, the song’s final verse which is Kool’s second, fully fleshes out the moment. While his flow becomes too choppy and almost robotic-like in certain points of the opening monologue, the style he portrays in the begging seems to be mastered here, and with his focus on the verse bringing a close to his fears but not because he’s safe but because he’s almost desensitized to worrying, Kool Rula ends the song showcasing hints of emotional depth and narrative focus that many all-time great rappers possess.
Overall, the actual song and video to “HEREYE” are very good, and aside from Kool Rula’s somewhat choppy flow and surface-level writing in the begging, that doesn’t add any new insight on already overstated topics, he makes all the indications that his upcoming album Chillboy will be fantastic. To stay up to date with Kool Rula, be sure to follow him on Instagram @koolrula.
Rating: 3.5/5
To listen to more Kool Rula check out these songs:
Written By: Mr. Fantastic, owner, founder, and chief editor of Fantastic Hip Hop
