Elis King aka Black King, is an African American music Producer and Artist residing in Los Angeles, California. He runs an independent record label known as Caliking Music which he founded in February 2015. Hard at work on his EP “Superstar”, set to drop in 2021, Black King currently has two singles out – “Sexy Body” and “Gold Digger”. Black King’s progression from singing on “Sexy Body”, to rapping on “Gold Digger”, is nothing short of incredible and the artist appears poised to break into the mainstream media. His talent is undeniable, as he expands on his innate musical elements and seamlessly blends in new styles.
“Gold Digger” is a vintage styled banger with a ridiculously charged up performance. Definitely one of the hardest hitting tracks this year. Black King’s hooks on the track, are infectiously catchy and aggressive. The artist uses his mesmerizing flows to poignantly articulate his exclamations. The beat transitions and varied instrumentation throughout the song make the production equally as compelling as the verses.
Black King’s bombastic flow immediately punches through the beat and evolves cohesively throughout the song. It is the perfect crescendo of aggression and energy. Elis King aka Black King has carved out a stylistic niche that prevents him from being boxed into any of rap’s cliques. He sounds grizzled and raw, as well as wildly rambunctious when he raps.
Black King’s ever-shifting aesthetic makes him one of the most invigorating prospects to come out of L.A. in some time. Everything from the vocal arrangements on his tracks to the song titles feels crafted with meticulous detail.
“Gold Digger” wastes no time with subtleties, coming out of the box with a grunt and roar. A lot of artists will dabble in the conventions of mixing styles very timidly, and when they do, their lack of mastery at all of them becomes easily apparent. But Black King’s main strength is that he’s able to come off as chameleonic, building a powerful identity through the song.
Black King’s sound, when stripped of its ambience, drips with venomous energy. He raps and hollers with a dexterous touch that breathes vibrant energy. Black King’s wild brand of music on “Gold Digger”, will throw you for a loop. Out of all of his contemporaries, Black King puts the most energy into his raps.
It sounds like Black King plays with pitches, tones and flows on the fly, like he’s clearly having a blast. As his voice grows more ominous and louder, it strangely becomes more familiar. The energy that grows from Black King voice as the track goes along seems to make it grow fiercer. It’s brash, bombastic nature, makes it a kick-ass track.
Whether or not you fall in love with Black King’s unapologetic style, is a matter of personal taste. It is however undeniable that he is easily one of the most memorable acts you’ll have the pleasure of hearing. A further cementation of his place as one of the front runners in the next generation of urban music.
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