Nick Grant’s Newest Mixtape Proves Why His Buzz is Only the Beginning (Album Stream)

Fledgling Third Coast MC Nick Grant will not have much to prove to anyone soon enough. After positively lighting up Sway in the Morning with a phenomenal freestyle that only supported Sway’s personal endorsement of Grant’s lyrical prowess, he’s been steadily climbing the proverbial rungs and has already left a serious imprint in his native Walterboro, South Carolina as well as his current headquarters of Atlanta, Georgia. A relationship with the T.I. co-founded imprint Grand Hustle gave him some considerable exposure in 2015, and collaborations with Cyhi the Prince on his track “Royalty” in addition to the added verses from Big K.R.I.T. and Killer Mike on the song’s remix have earned him considerable respect from Heads. That remix dropped just a few days ago, and so it’s no surprise that he’s capitalizing on his momentum with today’s release of a new mixtape.

’88 is a solid piece of contemporary Southern Hip-Hop with obvious yet not overwhelming nods to the region’s founding fathers. Outkast’s imprint is all over the tape’s opening track “Somethin to Say” but is only a stepping stone; Grant immediately claims the aggressive track as his own and follows it up with the smoothly seductive “Just in Case.” Up next is “Black Sinatra,” which will get fans of the film Juice excited (just listen). Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat” lounges beautifully on another track of the same name, and by the time all 13 tracks have played through, it’s evident this is an ambitious, multi-tiered, and well-thought out execution from a promising talent.

Related: Big K.R.I.T., Killer Mike & Nick Grant Are Royalty In Rap And Life (Audio)