Originally released as a lead up single for the project, “Soufside” has been deserving of just the right visuals. From bar to bar, the Atlanta rapper flows through his life story and engages the listener with a combination of context and wordplay.
“Started from the bottom my n***a, but sh*t we finally here, below 285 got something to say so lemme make it clear.”
Klassic Kell’s voice sits well on this Hip Hop beat, allowing his voice to be the sole driver throughout the track. With excellent use of the beat’s sample, Klassic Kell had me bobbing my head from beginning to end. The honesty and grittiness he implores in his lyrics really bring the story from the song to your mind. You start to imagine what kind of life he has gone through, and his authenticity drives it home.
“Yea it’s only middle school, but n***as dealing outside, can pop off any minute if its issues outside, sh*t I still get a cut right where my n***a got popped.”
This no-gimmick form of rapping leads you to focus on what Klassic Kell seems to pride himself on, his lyricism and storytelling.
The music video, directed by Jacob Rink and YFP, brings the realness from the song into a visually satisfying product. The multiple scenes, from posting up in front of Infamous Barber Shop to the middle of a basketball court at night, blend well with the old school filters and edits. Involving his boys in the music video adds a personal touch, but the director is still able to put the proper emphasis on Kell. One of my favorite shots is of Klassic Kell sitting atop a basketball hoop with “Atlanta” splashed on the backboard in classic Hawks fashion.
It's exciting to see a rapper like this be so talented, yet also so relatively unknown. I personally love finding a diamond in the rough, and Klassic Kell has the chops to make it in this game. “Soufside” is just one of the amazing tracks found on his tape “The Klassic Tape, Vol. 1.” “Heart 2 Heart” and “Everyday Life” are two of my other favorites from this set and definitely worth a listen.
Klassic Kell is a name you would all benefit to remember. With more music on the way, the sky’s the limit for Atlanta’s own Klassic Kell.