Primo is the debut mixtape from Saint KC. The rapper is a brand new voice in the world of Hip-Hop. The Northampton, UK based artist bills himself as, “The one and only Saint of Hip-Hop.” Admittedly it is not a genre often identified by the personal virtue of its performers. Yet, KC proudly produces clean, radio friendly music. So, he may be right.
The four song collection opens with “Dreams and Lights.” On the track, Saint KC introduces himself by way of a personal history lesson. The rapper recounts the trials and tribulations he had to face on his way to the international scene. With a fire in his spirit and tough times behind him he hit the stage armed with only, “a mic and dream.” The tune’s trap beat and hard knock story represents the most standard Hip-Hop fare in the collection. It’s a great intro to the rapper’s cool and unique flow.
“Keep Moving” follows, fueled by some classic R&B samples. The use of jazzy instrumentation along with soulful backing female vocals is a theme throughout the record. And it works. In keeping with the song’s title, musically and lyrically the track has a feeling of constant forward motion. “I’ve been living my life like a movie. It goes up and down, we are moving.”
On the last two tracks, Saint KC slows it down and rides on a mellow vibe. I think this is where he really shines. As a singer and rapper he has a very chill style. It fits perfectly with a downbeat groove. “I Can’t Help” is built on a sample of the classic “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You.” The piece all comes together perfectly while KC proclaims his love with clever lyrics. For example, rhyming “Patrick Swayze” with “amazing.” I love it.
Saint KC closes out the set with, “Memory is Pain.” Once again, he matches a chill-hop beat with his laid back style to great effect. Here he ruminates on the balance and connection between pleasure, pain and personal recollection. There are some great lines here like, “to think about the rainbows I remember the rain.” All the while a smooth jazz guitar and R&B vocal float behind him.
Although Saint KC leaves out the violence and profanity found in a lot of today’s hip-hop, he doesn’t shy away from complex emotional content. Primo is a great debut featuring a rich musical tapestry and an in-depth personal narrative. Follow the artist via the links below, and check out his new music on YouTube.