Dante isn’t your typical MC — he’s more in tune with his emotions than the other rappers I hear today, which results in music that is both pure and unadulterated. With the release of his new ‘Crash One’ EP, the New York rapper gives listeners an opportunity to hear what he thinks about the highs and lows he’s faced in his life thus far, which ends up resulting in this chilling yet riveting nine track body of work. 

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TOP 5

 

5. MALECON

If you ever questioned whether or not Dante can spit with the best of them, this song will give you all the answers you need.

From the moment the track starts, you can tell Dante got lost in the violin-heavy beat, which ends up sounding like he rapped his verses with his eyes closed the whole time. Even though Dante spits with this aggressive/kill-rapper approach on his verses, he doesn’t seem like he’s stressing any of his bars at all (Which I love). As far as the flows he uses on this song, it’s dynamic, as he was able to turn a simple toned song into a complex lyrical exhibition.

 

4. NEARLY DIED TONIGHT/MAYBE I DIED

Dante absolutely pours his heart out on ‘Nearly Died Tonight/Maybe I Died’. Not only is the song very lyrical, but it also has this passionate feel to it that is a soul clincher.

I love how Dante describes the fine line between living out his dreams and possibly crashing and burning; that tells me he understands how things can take dramatic shifts in the snap of a finger (isn’t that some deep s–t). With that being said, Dante doesn’t want you crying or feeling sorry for him, instead he comes with this aggressive approach that tells me he’s ready for all the obstacles that are thrown his way.

As expected, the instrumental shifts in tone, going from lonely and numbing to ‘Oodles and noodles on a Saturday night’ lonely and numbing.

This gotta be one of the realest songs I’ve heard in a while.

 

3.BLOW

‘Blow’ is Hip Hop at its finest to me! Accompanied by an unorthodox instrumental, Dante raps in this unconventional way that is both catchy and heavy-hitting. I feel like each and every lyric he raps sticks with you, as he aims to let his words resonate by either taking long pauses after a bar or repeating certain phrases over and over again.

Songs like these stand out to me a lot, because I think it requires quite a bit of detail from the artist to nail its potential. Songs like these simply cannot be created in one take, it had to be handled with care, which is why not many in the game can kill it like Dante did here.

I’m creating a petition to get J. Cole to feature on the remix to this track.

 

2. INTRO

I find the ‘Intro’ to be pretty damn fascinating! Over this somber beat, Dante lets listeners hear a side of him that is introspective, vulnerable, and a bit emotional. Putting these emotions into words can be difficult at times, but Dante is able to do it with such ease. When it is all said and done, Dante was able to successfully paint a vivid picture centered around the trials and tribulations he goes through on a daily basis on this song, and it was only the intro!

 

1. TELL SOMEBODY

Smooth, mellow, and therapeutic all describe Tell Somebody’s musicality. Dante aimed to please his sensual fans with this track, but did it in a way that stays true to himself.

Dante’s flow is phenomenal on this song, as he takes his sweet time laying down his bars. I feel like he had the beat on a leash, refusing to let it dictate how he was going to spit. Lyrically, he’s honest, he’s straightforward, and exact with his words.

Fred Nice is featured on the track, and he provides this sensual hook that solidifies the R&B feel of the record. Though his part is simple lyrically, his passion is what really drives home the message he wants to send.

I wish I could give this track 6/5.

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SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. INTRO (5/5)
2. NEARLY DIED TONIGHT/MAYBE I DIED (4.5/5)
3. SAVAGE (OVERDRIVE REMIX) (3.9/5)
4. BLOW (5/5)
5. MALECON (4.2/5)
6. AMSTERDAM (4/5)
7. TELL SOMEBODY (5/5)
8. JONESTOWN (4/5)
9. GHOST (4.2/5)

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OVERALL RATING (8.5/10)

‘Crash One’ is such an artistic project from Dante, which is why calling it simply music wouldn’t do it justice.

The way Dante is able to deliver his words on this album is flawless to me, as he genuinely comes across as someone that has no issues with being the one person in the room that is passionate, driven, or even eerie at times. It’s transparency at its finest, and I love every second of it.

When it comes to the lyrics, the flows, and the confidence of his raps, Dante exceeds your favorite rappers in each category. I feel like rap comes easy to Dante, as he is able to dissect beats like Tom Brady is able to dissect NFL defenses. He sounds all the way comfortable on the mic, which also results in believable/heavy hitting bars. All in all, Dante is that one rapper that seems like he’s speaking directly to you on every song he drops, and as hip hop listeners, you’ll appreciate that.

If you are a hip hop junky, this album is a must have for you.