Image via The Daily Loud

Mick Jenkins And Kaytranada For Another New Track

Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins has kept the tracks coming since 2012, posting up as one of the city’s most promising young talents since his debut. His last release, Wave[s], dropped August 2015, and since then the Alabama born Jenkins has been working on his first full album, The Healing Component. But in the meantime, 2016 has already seen new tracks from Jenkins, the latest of which appeared this week.

Produced by electronic artist Kaytranada and THEMpeople, The Artful Dodger is perhaps the first taste of the forthcoming album. Jenkins and Kaytranada collaborated previously on tracks for Wave[s], and The Artful Dodger sees them working together once more.

The track is a whip smart piece of introspection from Jenkins, who’s lyrical dexterity has set him up as one of rap’s young stars. Titled for Dicken’s classical young hustler, The Artful Dodger comes across like a calling card, or introduction to Mick Jenkins. Comparing himself to basketball prodigy Carl Anthony Towns, or fellow rapper Nas (Jenkins was once quoted as saying “Noname Gypsy told me I’m our generation’s Nas. I humbly accept that comparison”), Jenkins is gearing up for his success. Up the against the hustle, he’s “Less “Goldie”, more Dolemite”, referencing super villain Harvey Dent (or “Two Face”) in the hook.

Backed by ambient, lofi instrumentation, Kaytranada’s touch is pretty apparent across resonating bass and a delicate little hook melody. It’s nice and sparse in its futuristic, classical feel, with Jenkins’ relentless flow over the top. Stream the full track below.

Image: The Daily Loud