Innanet James, the Silver Spring, Maryland rapper follows on from his critically-acclaimed debut EP ‘Quebec Place’ in 2016 with the first taster of his upcoming new project ‘Keep it Clean’ – with his new release ‘Bag’.
‘Bag’ comes through as an immediate vindication for the 22 year-old. Undisputedly one of the game’s breakout stars of the past few years that’s seen him emphatically reviewed everywhere from Pitchfork to XXL to Pigeons & Planes, ‘Bag’ comes with a light, bossa-nova-influenced beat that drops into a smoky, woody piano instrumental, allowing that immaculate flow to finesse all over it. His snappy, focused punctuation and bubbling flow impresses as much as his references to 80s champion athlete Flo Jo; this is a rapper reaching his prime. ‘Bag’ excites so much because it also shows such a clear development and innovation from his already impressive debut EP. Fittingly featured on the new NFL MADDEN ’19 game, this is a laid-back, explosive gem waiting to be unleashed.
With an acclaimed performance last year at Bonnaroo 2017 (as well as his highly-anticipated debut at his popular hometown festival, Trillectro, later this year), and having signed a label deal with HighRes Global/Rostrum Records this year, it’s most definitely Innanet season once again, and arrives as the fans are clamouring for new heat from one of the US’s bonafide emerging hopes. The forthcoming project features names such as Pusha T, Rexx Life Raj, Reva Devito and Mac Ayres; Never one to rush a body of work, James has been carefully prepping and fine-tuning each detail. Timeless music can’t be rushed. “You may get three or four hot songs, and its okay, its nothing wrong if you make a project like that,” he proclaims. “But for myself, I always want to be able to play some shit from beginning to end whether its now when I’m 22 or 40.”
Innanet has definitely taken his own advice, with the 22 year-old is back in rude health, continuing the acclaim right where he left off.
