Coast Contra’s Scenario Freestyle Is Scary Good

Coast Contra has been one of the most exciting breaking acts of 2022. The high-energy quartet has been around for several years—including an appearance on 2019’s acclaimed and charting Queen & Slim soundtrack. However, after a punctuating appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Apt. 505 album, alongside work with Ciara, and Tobe Nwigwe, 2022 is something else. The collective draws from Los Angeles, California (Taj and Ras are the twin sons of Teedra Moses and Ras Kass), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Eric Jamal, and the Colombian-born Loz.

In addition to the album, singles, and collaboration work, Coast Contra continues to drop show-stopping freestyles—many filmed tableside in a podcast studio. For the latest, Ras, Taj, Loz, and Eric revisit A Tribe Called Quest’s 30-plus-year-old classic “Scenario” (as produced by the group).

Ras Kass’ Sons Destroy Mics Just Like He Does

More than just spitting bars, the collective makes the beat into a tight routine. The crew references OutKast and members of the Native Tongues in an assortment of animated deliveries—that also quote Slum Village. “Truthfully, feel like all y’all weak / No style, no technique / You ni**as rhyme with two left feet / That’s why you ain’t snappin’ on the beat / In the words of T3: / ‘Don’t sound too good; sounds tainted to me / Luckily, I got a good idea: / You should study what we do, and level up, I guarantee ya / We the biggest group you ever seen / Thank the Elohim / Sandman, kick ’em off the stage, crushing ni**as’ dreams / I ain’t mean to be that mean, but sh*t, nahmean? / They be kidding on the mic, ‘Billie Jean,’” spits Taj Austin in a verse that’s smart and stylish, as he breaks into a Michael Jackson impersonation.

Loz raps next, with powerful statements like: “The new moon rose high and shined on the Coast line / Kings follow like the northern star through the dark skies / Haters are gonna say we couldn’t do it without a co-sign / But my pen moves terrains, this a landslide,” he spits, before sliding seamlessly into Spanish, then back to English. With a high-pitched delivery, Eric Jamal raps next. “I put my time in so I can be timeless / Whether records or necklace, it was never about diamonds / If time fly, well, God is my pilot / I pray when in private / Closing my eyelids / So I can see more when I’m in silence,” he raps. Ras Austin takes the cleanup spot. He serves the camera with a theatrical display, in the vain of Leaders Of The New School, especially Busta Rhymes. He places himself among an elder class. “Young I, moved like an old school alumni / F*ck these crews, I’m on the Coast, ’bout to sun-dry / Too much Fentanyl; y’all only dope sometimes / Ain’t even worth the risk, not even just one line / Might die from boredom, check the postmortem / Made in God’s image, but he won’t post more of them.

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Hands down, Coast Contra has released some of the best freestyles of 2022—and they do not appear to be finished supplying Hip-Hop Heads anytime soon.

#BonusBeat: Coast Contra’s “Never Freestyle,” which released earlier this year: