It’s no secret that we’ve been waiting a while for The Outcastkid to drop a full-length record. A young prodigy and recording artist who previous shot into prominence with his track ‘Shock Jockey’, The Outcastkid has been hard at work, building momentum and levelling the playing field wherever he goes. A growing part of the Beast Coast movement that’s been streaming from New York, his style and talents have already been compared to that of Joey Bada$$, Capital Steez, and Logic, and with his latest release, ‘Nerd DNA’, he almost flies to a musical plain above them.
Available now, the new album is a deft mixture of The Outcastkid’s rapid-fire punchlines and subtle double entendres wound around a central spire of resounding beats and heavy video game influences. It’s the melding of stoner/gamer charms with street sounds to create a seamless experiment in contemporary hip-hop, and you’ve got to applaud The Outcastkid for his vision.
Opening with a narrative-driven, science-fiction intro, The Outcastkid immediately sets the stage for the album. It’s a platform from which he launches ‘Shock Jockey’, a known classic and highlight of the album. Following is the previously released, ‘Rick and Morty’ infused track, ‘Rick and Morty’s Outcast’, a reference filled romp overlaid with heavy beats an indelible flow. They’re two distinct highlights in a wave of original brilliance that tackles the feeling of being an outsider with charm and genuine understanding. It’s authentic, but also technically sound, with tracks like ‘Printer Life’, ‘Indigo Smoke’, and ‘I’ma Get Mine’ toying with a varied mix of sounds, styles, and influences with great precision.
It’s an impressive collection that showcases The Outcastkid as one of the most original talents in the Beast Coast movement. ‘Nerd DNA’ stays true to its roots and benefits greatly from the authenticity, showing that modern hip-hop can be removed from the current clichés and made into an astounding piece of work.
Score: 9/10
Connect with The Outcastkid,
