“Tryin’ to buy my mom a crib and until then — can’t even sleep at night.”
— Kidd Napp
Rapper Kidd Napp may have been born in Los Angeles, CA. But the city of Jackson, MS, helped mold him, along with the struggle his mother, raising five children alone. It was during a deployment in Afghanistan when he made the decision to pursue music as a career. One night, while outside of their living area, he was listening to one the tracks he recorded when his fellow soldier, Tre (K-Sino) Baity, asked who was he listening to. After he had told him it is him, they were both became locked in with one common goal as they headed back state side to Savannah, GA. Shortly after pushing out a few songs recorded in a local studio, Napp received an email from the Brown Sugar Festival Committee, asking if he could perform at the festival in May 2016. Napp started production on his first project Under Construction, and released it this past March. “Long Day” is the most recent song — and believe me, it’s worth a few listens.
When I first popped in his full-length release, Under Construction, is a little of everything; there is a blend of melodic mid-west swag, backpack rap, and even bass-filled contemporary trap sound. All that to say, though, the project is super cohesive, and nothing feels out of place. From the hunger bars of “Kill ‘Em Slow,” the slow/sexy vibe of “Come Over,” to the declaration of his determination on the west coast vibed Count Me Out. “They count me down, but can’t count me out,” is the overarching theme that seems to drive this album. He started at the bottom, and the sacrifices and grind it took to bring him to this project (literally a lifetime worth) all seem to have shaped his sound. That isn’t that common these days — this is real life music.
Standouts here are “Some Trouble,” a track dedicated to an unnamed female — featuring singer Maskerade — and the album’s outro, “Life.” “I take my pen and write my story to life — although I stumble, I scratch an error and write till it’s right,” Napp proclaims confidently on the knocking beat.
His latest release, the single “Long Day,” is more of the same positive professions of hard work that pays off — in a good way. The song is a reference to more than just a day, really; long day refers to the years he’s put into this. The song makes references to his desire to help out his mother and his time in Afghanistan (as he contemplated his chosen career path). It’s super lyrical and deeply personal.
His openness as an artist is what will ultimately take him to where he wants to be. To like and relate to his music, is to like and relate directly to him, as he’s put so much of himself into it. It’s well-produced, and curated. Kidd Napp is definitely an artist to add to your playlist this week!
