Single: Well$ – “Rosé”

The Acclaimed North Carolina Emcee Drops an Electronic-Tinged, Emotional Loose Single via Pigeons & Planes

4.20.2017

Critical praise for Well$:

“The album finds the 19-year-old straddling the line between trunk-rattling southern bounce and the witty 16s of any Freshman spitter.” – The Fader

“A charismatic live performer…the hometown hero is ready to shine whenever the national look is imminent. – Pitchfork

“Well$ uses inspiration from his own heritage as well as popular American culture to develop a sound that is distinctly his own, drawing on southern influences as well as his own African culture.” – Complex

“Charlotte, N.C., may not be the first city to come to mind when thinking of hip hop hotbeds, but thanks to a rising echelon of talent, that’s about to change. Leading that charge is 19-year-old Leroy Shingu, who goes by the name of Well$.” – Huffington Post

The Song:

A hard-living, versatile young emcee with a deep voice that belies his skinny frame, Well$ is a rising star in the burgeoning NC rap scene. A tender love song with a quivering, ethereal synth backing track, Well$ delivers a detailed account of a happy relationship in “Rosé,” as the young emcee treats his girl to a good time. Tempering his ordinarily aggressive tone to whisper sweet nothings over a VACAY and Tommy Coyote production, the Immaculate Taste artist displays a seductive sensitivity, as well as a facility for mixing poetry with slice-of-life details: “I’m just puzzled by your mind structure/I’ve often wondered does your mind wander/in my direction/I can make your eyes water/With this timeless passion.” Premiered by Pigeons & Planes, “Rosé” is Well$’ second major release of 2017, following his appearance on Baloji’s “Unité & Litre,” alongside his cousin and labelmate Alec Lomami and acclaimed artist Saul Williams.

Last year, Well$ released The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous, a deeply personal effort about the immigrant experience in America that doubled as a showcase for the the underrepresented North Carolina arts community. With appearances from North Carolina artists such as Sylvan Esso, Deniro Ferrar, Angelo Mota, JK The Ripper, Doms, Alec Lomami, and Sipho the Gift, along with varied production from Metro Boomin, Angelo Mota, Sipho the Gift, Jimmy Kelso and others, TWILMMMN proves that there is no style that Well$ can’t tackle. TWILMMMN was a suitable follow-up to his previous mixtape, MTSYD: The Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher, which earned Well$ praise from Pitchfork and led to a performance at 2016’s Moogfest, which NOISEY listed as one of the “Seven Sets At Moogfest That Expanded Our Consciousness into New Realms.” Explains Well$: “With MTSYD: The Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher, I was speaking from the perspective of an African kid living as an American. Now, with The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous, I’m speaking about how my American upbringing clashes with my African values. The way it makes my mom nervous because I chose the opposite path that they had wanted for me.” Stay tuned for more music from Well$ in 2017.

Listen to “Rosé”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/rose || https://open.spotify.com/album/6ThOx9CNh1BCnqPwEKvlGT

Check out the P&P premiere: http://pigeonsandplanes.com/music/2017/04/wells-rose-single

Please contact Michelle or Dharmic for more info.

Well$ Background:

Like most kids in his native town of Charlotte, North Carolina, Leroy Shingu had a head filled with hip-hop dreams growing up, even trying his hand at freestyling when he was all of nine years old. But a trying background starkly different from the blissful suburban reality of his peers would compel the rapper better known as Well$ to turn that childhood fantasy into a promising career as a rapper. Quietly released in 2012, $ay La V, Well$’ debut EP rose steadily on the Bandcamp charts to peak at number 5 and eventually become the most downloaded album in the Charlotte area. This remarkable ascent as well as the video for the song “State of Ecstasy The Interlude Part 1″ hauled Well$ out of virtual anonymity, and shoved him onto high profile stage performances with artists such as G Eazy, Chris Webby, Johnny Polygon, and one of his idols, Pac Div. His 2014 project, MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher was well-received by fans and critics alike and he followed it up with the equally accomplished The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous in 2016.