Spit Freely: The Renaissance Millenials of Soul and Hip Hop
Do you ever go out to a small venue and listen to an artist that seems to have it all but hasn’t yet made traction in the music industry? Often times talent alone cannot elevate an artist to stardom while others get lucks. Getting an edge in the music world in 2019 is all about being original, renovating, and being able to do as much as possible as quickly as possible. Artists slated to go the distance need to have the “it” factor as well as a capable team ready to go to bat for them. That’s why the band Spit Freely is coming into their own and building a strong team in addition to their extensive resources as producers, songwriters, and musicians. They are self-contained, they integrate their latin roots into their music and brand, and they pack a punch with their genre-spanning music that pleases a wide-range of audiences in an original way that hasn’t been explored yet by large music icons.
Spit Freely is composed of two brothers: Nano the Soundman and CK the Elemental. Nano is a more reserved, behind the scenes lyricist, drummer, and a producer who comes to life on the stage. CK the Elemental is an all-around extrovert who mixes his charisma and charm with intelligent lyrics and powerful vocals.
Spit Freely’s music bridges the gap between the AmeriCali Latino and the public masses who regularly consume Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and Bruno Mars but haven’t yet heard a latino pop/soul/funk artist sing like this. They represent the deep presence of latino culture in LA, mixed in with the modernized jazz, pop, soul, funk, and classically “old-school” music that has been renovated into rap-vocal duos. As a sound, they are refreshing, easy to hear because of their smooth, rolling
Politically, Spit Freely comes from socialist roots-singing often about social injustice and cultural issues almost as often as romance and heartbreak. The relevance that intelligent political comments has on an audience separates Spit Freely from the typically expected lyrics of rap and merges into a “Classic Man” and a prescence of that similar to Kendrick Lamar and Logic with stylistic visuals similar to that of Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake. The two brothers create a powerful visual duo; Nano’s Long hair contrasts well with the clean-cut look of CK.
” I see empty promises disguised like Purple Sunset God Illusion, just because it’s beautiful don’t mean it’s not pollution” – “If Only“, Soul Sketches
Their chemistry on stage brings another level of star-power to their performance. Both artists come to life, are comfortable on the stage, and rock from one song to the next with a swagger and unity that comes from the pair knowing themselves, their band, and each other very well. They are well-rehearsed and charismatic, bringing laughs, applause, and profound moments of reflective silence from the crowd during their performances.
The brothers do things differently because of their upbringing in a household that
WHAT TO LISTEN TO:
SOUL SKETCHES: the album, released in 2019. This album has a slowed down, romantic dreamer theme with elements of rap and soul. The hooks are catchy, the raps are clever and meaningful and the musical elements are inventive and unique. Listen to the live version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMV8SI-0vAY
Spotify: Check out their Spotify! Listen to “Don’t Change” on Soul Sketches slows down beautifully at the end and does a new rendition of the hook that ends the song memorably. Link: https://open.spotify.com/track/6RRp2OcoJ7JMdik4IDPXId?si=htLEZaVtQZuHiJteNV6GIQ
“Soul Sketches” is a song about being a dreamer, looking to grasp onto success and the struggles that come with it. This song is beautifully done with an interlude-like melody and cry-worthy lyrics. Link : https://open.spotify.com/track/6W6AQfvhnxx62iTX5ut9k5?si=GIUrHv4hTiOgxhxxDfqVuA
“Afraid to Love” is a true hit single in the making. This song hits all the high points and has an extremely catchy tune that is hard to forget. Watch the music video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMV8SI-0vAY
Taylor Overstreet 