Jonah P. & Ricky Roosevelt - "In The Dark" Stream

Ricky Roosevelt

Lawrence hip-hop heads let out a collective sigh of relief as "In The Dark" dropped. Since Ebony Tusks has been toiling away on an LP for over a year now, Young Mvchetes and Vivd Zebra have taken the reins in regards to alternative hip-hop in the Sunflower State. The collaborative debut of VZ's Jonah P. and Ricky Roosevelt features some of their finest artistic moments and hit when it was needed most.

Roosevelt employs two tactics throughout "In The Dark" that set him apart from the pack. The first of those is his stumbling, zig-zagging flow that he trademarked on his previous EP with Alccalh. It's never clear which way his raps are headed, making it all the more rewarding for listeners who decide to re-listen and nail the lines down in their heads.

Repetition is the other tactic. On each of the first three tracks Roosevelt uses about a minute to repeat the hook to the point where his voice melts into the track and cements its place in your brain. That repetition plays right into producer Jonah P.'s sensibilities too. His affinity for house-style beats is made clear on "Tundra" and the EP's title track. This hypnotic approach to hip-hop has been utilized by underground stars like Cities Aviv and Antwon before, but until now, has has never successfully been adopted by anyone out in the Great Plains.

Stream "In The Dark" below.