Brannon Kasthuriratne, also known as Mallokay and formerly known as BK The Grandson, is a rapper who was born on in Toronto, Canada, to a mother and father of Sri Lankan descent. Inspired by artists such as Eminem, J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Joyner Lucas, Hopsin, 2pac, among others, Brannon began rapping at the age of 11. He had his first performance in the sixth grade at his elementary school talent show, and just kept on building his craft ever since. Attending Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario – before dropping out – he opened for Obie Trice and Swifty McVay, and then a year later in 2019, opened for Rich Homie Quan.
In April, 2020, Brannon changed his name from BK The Grandson to Mallokay. The root of the name “Mallo”, is a Sinhalese nickname his mother gave him, while “Allokay” means light in Sinhalese, and word with a meaning that Brannon wanted to represent him, as he wishes to become a guiding light for the world to lead it in a better direction.
Mallokay’s latest single release is entitled “RAPture”. The song was mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer, Ariel Chobaz, produced by Kayo Da Producer, and was recorded at 6IX8 Studios in Oshawa, Canada.
Mallokay isn’t your average rapper, and his explosive new single is the ultimate proof. With a vibrant production behind him, Mallokay comes out of the blocks like a battering ram. He dives headfirst into the bars, stretching his lyrical wings and succeeds in doing so. One of his most impressive displays so far, “RAPture” shows what happens when Mallokay switches up the perspective and imparts some incredible wordplay.
One of Mallokay’s many strengths come from his vocal mastery; that’s not to say his technical ability, but more specifically, his control of cadence. As a result, the man can switch from a devil-may-care swagger to a sinister growl.
His dynamic vocal range leaps forward from the speakers with direct energy threading dense rhymes. Booming bass, rapid-fire rhymes and skittering hi-hats are in his playbook too, but what separates Mallokay from others in this lane is the underlying substance.
Instead of generic turn-up bars, he unleashes no-holds-barred messages. Those familiar with his previous work know that Mallokay has always been a cut above his contemporaries. Technically elite, the rapper’s creative mind has always been his dominant selling point.
The entire single encapsulates the current portrait of Mallokay as an artist. While his previous material showcased the early talent and artistic identity of a Canadian rap scene warrior, “RAPture” emanates the feeling of unapologetic ambition towards something greater. This is a refined effort that puts sonic innovation and lyricism at the forefront.
“RAPture” is an artistic triumph for Mallokay, as he reaches new heights of craftsmanship to create the best work of his career so far. Those clamoring for a balance of bars and beat in Hip-hop, need look no further than “RAPture”. Mallokay has constructed a single that plays to the sonic aesthetics of out time without sacrificing meaningful content in doing so.
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