Jamel Gunner aka DaKurse is an incredible rapper, and he’s got enough energy and melody to potentially shake up the game. Creating emotive, exhilaratingly fierce tracks, as well as slow burning bedroom jams, he comes at us with a whole catalog of songs. His delivery is fueled by mellifluous tones, as well as an impatient thirst for adrenaline. “Miami” ft. beans (prod. by veeno) has more breathing room and clears space for DaKurse’s unrelenting groovy bars. It also reinforces the impression that he can easily run with a slow jam.
“Is U 4real” (prod. by cashmoneyap) gains depth through little details, and ends up feeling more like an introspective testament to sentimentalism. He accomplishes more with the sound of his rapping and singing on this track than most trappers do with entire albums. His understanding of rap as a vocal performance; his ability to summon powerful emotions; his combination of vulnerability, bravado, and a storyteller’s sense of character, are all hallmarks of a consummate artist.
“kiss & tell” (prod. by jojotweakin), may just be his most engaging track, and contains all of the aforementioned qualities that makes DaKurse a captivating rapper. Aside from a very good production, and a thumping rhythm, this track features a pair of long ass explicit verses from DaKurse. The long verses allow him to really get the ball rolling and when he gets that energy raised up higher and higher like he does here, the results are impacting.
With a great flow, delivery, and verse, over what is an incredibly hot beat, DaKurse absolutely murders “Hush Money” (Prod. Pluto) with a slow swagger. To say he has the magic touch at this point, would be an understatement. Honestly, he has the whole track in the palm of his hand, without even raising his voice or switching his flow.
“Im ur homie” (prod. by speakerbanger) again shows off his soulful crooning tones. This one is pretty much guaranteed to be a great song, with DaKurse showing some serious vocal potential. ”House on da Hills” featuring Luca (TanBoy), has an atmospheric production with plenty of shimmering keys, while the rappers set an evocative mood.
Consistency across these songs comes in large part from his ability to catch the compelling moments on a regular basis, to veer emotional rather than technical. It’s also part of why these tracks feel so powerful. DaKurse has built a strong stylistic base in his music by focusing on the dynamics of his stories, without letting them veer into cliché or caricature.
The balance between variety, to hold attention, and contiguous tone, to grant it coherence, is sustained from front to back. The peaks and valleys in tempo, never suggest an ebbing of energy. DaKurse strength is his outspoken depth. Entertaining and fun to listen to, these tracks firmly establish the artist as a confident rapper and a worthy craftsman in the new age of hip-hop.
OFFICIAL LINKS: SOUNDCLOUD – YOUTUBE
