Fatale !nk

Will Smooth is back with his new mix-tape, titled "Brain Tease" - hosted by DJ Zeke & DJ Super Nova. In our feature on the New York based rapper and Bronx native, he talked about the high expectations from his fans, family and critics to deliver on his new mix-tape. You've probably gotten a glimpse of the hype on Twitter and YouTube... Isn't hype a funny thing though? Up and coming artists need it to grow their fan base, but it can also lead to their demise by creating ridiculously high expectations that either eat away at the artist, or push them to take their music to a new level. Will Smooth is no exception. If anything, he's his own biggest critic...


Catchy lyrics? Check. Heart-pumping bass lines? Check. Bangin' synth lines? Check. Crazy drum kicks and classic melodies? Check, check. How about creativity? Yeah, he brings that too. With an array of producers and features from fellow underground artists; Justin Rose, Embezz Pierre, John Tucker, Colin Munroe, Maxine Ashely and Hood Fella, the new material builds on the sound he formed through remixes from mainstream artists, while also drawing influences from various other sources. On remixed tracks like, "Iced Tea Lemonade" (Gucci Mane), "Flashy Lights" (Kanye West), "Pretty Girls" (Wale), "All The Way Turnt Up" (Roscoe Dash) and "Unthinkable" (Alicia Keys), he builds his own sound that doesn’t seem reused or recycled. Tracks like "Reggie Bush", "Broken Legs" and "Full Course Meal" reflects on a new-age electro/hip-hop/dance sound without getting monotonous or boring. "Hollywood" features a female vocalist (Maxine Ashely) whose light vocals contrast nicely with John Tucker's flow and the song's up-tempo beats and key strokes. The first 15 seconds of "Hello Ho" make you think "damn, this song is gonna be sexy" (overlooking the title of the track), then he comes in with the lyrics and your thought switches to "damn, someone is gonna get offended". Those who get offended are in fact, the ho's he's referring to in the song. Haha. Oh well, they'll live! *Aika Shrug* - Of course, I can't forget the infamous J. Romez, who returns on "Please Put Me On Skit" and "Hollywood Superstar Skit"... can't knock his hustle.

The strongest, and my personal favorite track on the mix-tape comes from his unique twist on The Beatles' classic song, "Yesterday". The intro starts off with an acoustic guitar melody and throughout the song, you hear Paul McCartney's haunting harmonies. Overlay those elements over a dope beat, and you'll find it culminates the song into a really chill and unique sound.

I think it's safe to say he has risen to the occasion and delivered. His flow, wickedly insightful lyrical content, experimentation on multiple instruments and audio dope beats, set a slow and steady build that begs you to crank up the volume. He keeps you interested by taking it in different directions with each track. Bottom line, this 22-track mix-tape lives up to the hype that preceded it and confirms how much he's matured as an artist. The confidence he has in his craft shows just how much his head is in the game... "Picasso with the words!" (Will Smooth Voice)


P.S. I want to send a big THANK YOU to Will for putting Fatale !nk on the cover of his mixtape. Love Love Love and all that good stuff. That's "Whas Gooh"! :)


Download: "BRAIN TEASE" HERE

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