Styles King | “D.A.R.K” EP, South Central’s Budding Mogul
South Central rapper Styles King is making waves on the west coast tip with serious conviction. His latest EP “D.A.R.K” which debuted streaming services on August 2nd, is slowly gripping the ears of listeners with pleasurable intent. The 6-track EP is 18 minutes of pure hustle, grit, and is hallmarked by the tribulations that Styles King has had to endure. It’s clear from the lyrical content on this project that Styles King is adept at showing his intellect in full-fledged form. He’s unafraid of touching on the hearts & souls of listeners and showcases his cleverness in syllable-full punch lines & immaculate verses.
“The whip was burgundy, sunset kind of mahogany, cannabis in the arteries, one of the flyest arguably. The hardships had me feeling like a autumn leaf, but when I fall I just get more seasoned like Collard Greens” – Styles King
On “Donuts”, the creative simply equips certain wordplay & flow to color images in your head seamlessly. His cadence & lyrical content set the scene so well that you’ll have no trouble visually seeing what Styles King is relaying. It’s a true skill to be able to story-tell with such fluidity, but that is only one small skill up the sleeve of many more talents. On “Dark”, he dives into a more tuneful approach while never dimming down his glimmering verses & wisely picked pocket flows. He’s comfortable on this record, but there’s a certain tension that infuses the listener to enter the headspace of Styles King. We wanted to know what inspired the South Central rapper to create “D.A.R.K”, and he was kind enough to comment,
“Dark was inspired by growing through what you go through in life. It’s a testament to breaking through barries with the energy of determination, frustration, curiosity and knowing that life is a marathon not a sprint. Word to Nipsey. It get’s dark sometimes, but it’s light after that. A seed may start off underground but it’s destined to bloom eventually.”
Having been through serious struggles as a youth, & moving across the state countlessly- Styles King knows what the journey ahead entails. With an arsenal of hard-hitting vocals surrounding the aura of the EP, “Questions” is probably the most relatable of the times. With a blazing intro at the beginning of the record highlighting a news reporter being arrested for simply doing his job, Styles King furthers that standpoint throughout the entire record. With thoughtful verses, he’s inspiring listeners to think and formulate their own opinions while challenging them to do better in their own respective ways. Not only is there a monsoon of substance to take away from this project, but the soundscape alone is enough to take notice.
Having been in the game since 2012, Styles King is already well on his way to becoming a household name. It’s worth noting that he produced records on this album, which further instills the type of commitment he shows to his craft. Most rappers are secular in one skill, not many take it upon themselves to learn the other aspects that compose a song. Styles King has engulfed himself amongst the few that can rap, write & produce their own records- and that is no small feat.
With large moves in store, Styles King plans on dropping an LP, and a deluxe version of “D.A.R.K” with more added bonus tracks. This EP was surely sweet, so it’s exciting to hear that we could be seeing an extended version soon. He also told Rap Fiesta that he’s planning on dropping a few visuals soon, and if this EP is any indication of high quality, we know it’ll be worth watching. All in all, Styles King’s EP, “D.A.R.K”, was an inspiring listen, and one that bleeds with an abundance of versatility. A simple listen will have you analyzing and unpacking the meaning of his idioms while vibing to his melodious outputs and harmonies. We know, you want more- but until then, you’ll just have to stream “D.A.R.K” on your favorite streaming platform and follow Styles King on Instagram here.
Stream “D.A.R.K” below:
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