Video: Well$ – “XXX” (prod. by Sipho The Gift)
The FADER Premieres the Aggressive, Sipho The Gift-Produced Track, The Latest from The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous to Get the Visual Treatment
11.16.2016
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$.” – Huffington Post
“Catching the frenetic electronic beat effortlessly, Well$ proved that he has talent that deserves to go well beyond a local stage.” – Noisey
The Video:
Charlotte’s rising rapper Well$ is a fiercely energetic performer, with a powerful rasp that belies his age. On “XXX,” premiered today by The FADER, the 2016 XXL Freshman Nominee demonstrates a kinetic flow on his two impassioned verses, attacking the bass-driven beat with verve. The video finds Well$ mobbing with his crew in a dark room, the greyscale color scheme eliminating much of the light that attempts to sneak through, except for an intermittent flash of white illuminating the rapper’s silhouette. Produced by fellow Immaculate Taste producer Sipho The Gift, whose buzzing low synths and scratching percussion lend the track a foreboding atmosphere, “XXX” is a highlight from the 21-year-old artist’s recent mixtapeThe Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous.
Explains Well$, “Sipho really knows what sounds good with my style. When I heard the beat, I could already feel the party atmosphere that it conveyed. There is a great vibe on this track but, ironically, ‘XXX’ is intended to paint the image of my psyche and inner turmoil. I felt down on my luck at the time and my dreams were beyond my reach. It felt liberating to have such a vision but, at the same time, the burden of uncertainty was overwhelming.”
The follow-up to 2014’s MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher, The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous is a more mature effort from Well$, as well as an impressive showcase of the North Carolina scene. 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. The musical diversity of these tracks is matched by Well$’ vocal and lyrical prowess, applying his trademark growl and clever wordplay to each song. “With MTSYD: The Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher, I was speaking from the perspective of an African kid living as an American,” explains Well$. “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.” The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous is now available to purchase on iTunes and stream on Spotify.
Watch “XXX” : https://youtu.be/bPKoRAWEFqI
Check out the Fader’s Premiere: http://www.thefader.com/2016/11/16/wells-xxx-video-premiere
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 most recent project, MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher was well-received by fans and critics alike. Well$ is gearing up for a busy 2016, starting with his The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous EP.
Links:
bandcamp | twitter | facebook | youtube | soundcloud
“XXX”: https://youtu.be/bPKoRAWEFqI
“130” (official version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YneUXoS3NZk
“130” (one-take version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXpk1BwnFew
“Heaven’s Door” ft. Alec Lomami (Prod. by Metro Boomin): https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-heavens-door-ft-alec-lomami-prod-by-metroboomin
Weekend Money – “Break Spinal” ft. Kool AD: https://soundcloud.com/weekendmoney/weekend-money-break-spinal-feat-well-kool-ad/s-HijDG
“TwoBrothers”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-twobrothers
“Fight”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/fight-prod-pgmw
“Stella 95”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-stella-95-feat-lucho-prod-pgmw-thefacesblur
“’98 Juvie”: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/well-98-juvie-prod-sipho-the-gift
“Black Swan”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CFn5fFeCpw / https://soundcloud.com/wells-music/black-swan
“An Awfully Rude Reintroduction”: https://soundcloud.com/10deep/an-awfully-rude-reintroduction-prod-tutankhamen-brothers-the-blck-herts-club
“Youth In Revolt Pt. 2” ft. King Mez: https://soundcloud.com/immaculate-taste/youth-in-revolt-pt-2-feat-king-mez/
CyHi the Prynce – “Mandela” (Official remix feat. Well$): https://soundcloud.com/1cyhitheprynce/mandela-remixfeaturing-reason-well
“Savoir-Faire”: http://youtu.be/bVVggr8eheY
Download link for MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher: http://www.audiomack.com/album/well/mtsyd-the-revenge-of-the-african-booty-scratcher
Bio, pics, and more here: http://www.audibletreats.com/wells/