That Kid Roy’s follow-up to Watch Me comes in the form of a four-track EP – Rookie Of The Year – smoothly produced and featuring an inherent sense of determination and confidence that relevantly links back to his previous release.
The project’s title track is motivational and energizing in a cool, calm way. The song’s hook reaches out to be something of a mellow anthem for the dreamers and hustlers. The verses lay out a little more detail and make things notably personal, which appeals for that truthful connection you’re able to form.
Roy’s flow grows more impressive as the track goes on – the latter half sees his lyrical delivery reach an energetic peak, the pace is intense and you’ll be lucky to catch every line the first time around. The contrast between this and the gentle swagger of the hook and the ambiance introduces the EP in an enjoyable fashion.
Let You Go (Feat. Annie Romano) drives with a softer and more emotional aura. Melody and space work in unison to pave the way. Roy’s delivery is gentler now, almost spoken-word-like and intimate in nature. It feels honest, vulnerable even, the song in full deals with relationship struggles and does so in a consistently real way. As always, the rap performance is flawless – smooth yet rhythmic enough to keep things moving and to hold tight to your interest.
Maintaining an easy going yet intentional vibe, Bold Moves keeps confidence and a sense of unwavering possibility at the forefront of the experience. The hook is simple yet effective, feeling inspired by classic hip hop. Meanwhile, Roy’s verses vary in style and rhythm, again helping add further structure and keeping you captivated throughout. The sound is crisp and clean and easy to vibe to. This is definitely one of the more memorable or quickly recognizable tracks on the EP.
Bringing things to a close is a song called Honestly, a definite highlight for its depth and the partly humble nature of the perspective – a personal favourite. Confidence is crucial in hip hop but sometimes this takes the form of poorly placed volume or quirkiness. In this case, That Kid Roy knows the results will come, but he’s also real enough to admit that things aren’t quite there yet. This song ends the project well as it talks securely about the dream but also the need and the desire to work and to keep working. It also touches on the reasons for wanting to succeed, the loved ones who drive our decisions. The tone of voice and the lyrics walk hand in hand throughout this musically calming journey and make for the perfect ending to an easy to escape within EP.
Whether you seek this out for inspiration or just to calm you down, the short playlist has you covered. That Kid Roy puts his all into his writing, and you quickly come to appreciate and recognise that voice and that style on this debut EP.
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