Shapeshifters | ‘RD & Cosmo G’
Shapeshifters are dominating the rapsphere one bar at a time. Their universal sound emphasizes their conscious lyrics, making them the most sought-after rap duo.
The group, comprising Rahdadonn and Groovy, recently dropped RD & Cosmo G. The 7-track LP’s concept draws from shows like Seinfield, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and other classic tv shows/films.
Rahdadonn adds, “I want fans to enjoy it [RD & Cosmo G]. I don’t want it forced. We’re not here to try to fit into what needs to be done right now. I’m not trying to sound like what’s on the radio or your favorite artist.”
From boom-bap, R&B, lo-fi, and even trap, RD & Cosmo G has a solid musical pallet. Although many of these records incorporate hard-hitting 808s, there’s no denying the diversity. For example, “Hive Mind” has a playful boom-bap beat that emits different vibrational frequencies.
The themes at hand focus on Shapeshifter‘s resilience, the current social landscape, and their incomparable versatility. The duo also humble the overly egoistical rappers and even speak on their doting lady, comparable to “My Favorite Song.” In addition, the two drop significant gems guaranteed to help others excel.
Or, as Millenials would say, “Shapeshifters put you on game.”
All-in-all, no matter the topic, Shapeshifters can tackle it with ease.
Channeling into their creative spaces with good vibes, H2O, ganja, an ever-changing mind, and a fresh set of ears, Rahdadonn and Groovy created an album to open the minds of their listeners and get them to absorb their bars. Determined to have a successful rollout, Shapeshifters dropped several video snippets referencing Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfield.
“We watch a bunch of shows, documentaries, nature films, anything for some inspiration,” they said. “I get a lot of my inspiration from things I watch. In most of my bars, you can hear the inspiration from TV shows and all that stuff.”
“Rodeo” may not have made the cut, but that’s because Shapeshifters had a particular vision in mind.
“We wanted it to be like a little trip,” they said. “There are different types of vibes. It’s just so up and down, and it just completely changes.”
Songs like “Bad News,” “Optics,” and “Hive Mind” inform bystanders about the dog-eat-dog world we live in. Groovy even raps via “Hive Mind,”
“Humans really snakes better watch your step/Form your own opinions/Trust your intuition/We plottin on escaping the hive, the nest.”
In “Optics,” Rahdadonn spits this life-changing line as well: “False advertising misinformation will lead to our demise.”
“Resurrection” and “Paranoia” highlight the group’s mastery of getting a bag and silencing their competition. The first record stands out precisely because of the beat switch a minute in. Groovy seemingly reveals their goal as well. “Screaming world domination ’till we finish the mission,” he raps.
“Resurrection” also happens to be one of Rahdadonn’s favorite.
“‘Triste’ and ‘Resurrection’ were supposed to be two separate songs but we just morphed them together. So, “Resurrection” is the first half, and that was the name of it, so we ended up keeping it. And then “Triste” is the second half, but it’s all Resurrection. You can hear the beat switch. And when I made that, it was insane. So I found a crazy sample and chopped it up perfectly. But that was one of my favorites to date.”
Groovy’s top pick is between “Bad News” and “John Dutton.”
Ignited by a luxurious piano loop and heavy 808s, “John Dutton” is a hip-hop offering touching on their prominence and how they silence their competitors. Both possess multi-syllable flows and clever bars.
Addressing the rappers who are convinced their bar game is solid, Groovy raps
“Need to source that/yo singles? Yo EP?/We torched that/If shit wasn’t so digital, we’d use all your music as a doormat/Won’t endorse that.”
Groovy also gives the non-talented rappers a wake-up call before showing how hard it is to trust others nowadays.
“You could never walk in my shoes lil homie you can’t fit those/you know I’m here when I walk in/bitch I don’t tiptoe/you don’t even know me/hoe who is u/Nowadays everybody two-faced/I can’t tell who is who.”
Overall, RD & Cosmo is a must-listen and will push you to be the best version of yourself.
