P1NO is the professional name of emerging Hip-hop artist, Nicholas Anthony Pino. Born and raised on California’s Central Coast, the rapper, singer, songwriter is originally from Pismo beach and now resides in San Luis Obispo. After a lifetime of making music he made his professional solo recording debut in 2021.
He first appeared on the scene this summer. P1NO released a handful of singles to SoundCloud, each exploring different aspects of modern and classic Hip-hop. The songs ranged in style from dark and moody Trap to Lo-fi beats and old-school breakbeat grooves. On Halloween he released his aptly titled debut album, “Shall We Start?”
“Shall We Start?” opens with the classic sound of 70’s Soul sampled over a boombap beat on the diss track “Stop that Fishing.” On the track, P1NO calls out false and phony people who waste their time trying to impress. It also introduces a philosophical lyrical theme of personal evolution that the rapper returns to throughout the album. “Homie Fun” follows with a fun freestyle roundtable ensemble rap over a Trap beat.
On the boombap “Glass House” and Lo-fi Chill-hop groove “Miss Me,” the rapper looks deep into his own mind and into the motivations of others. On each track his rhymes of his search for personal growth. As an emcee, P1NO has an easy lyrical flow. He has a rapid-fire delivery but with a laid-back style that gives “Shall We Start?” chill, rhythmic West Coast groove.
The upbeat “New Day” recalls the classic vibe of Dr. Dre’s Los Angeles in the 1990’s. “Lift Off” takes a cool stylistic turn into modern Lo-Fi Hip-hop as P1NO delivers a great freestyle over a nice breakbeat. The record ends on “Stay Awake.” Emotional piano music plays over a Hip-hop beat as P1NO digs deeper into his own personal evolution. It’s a great way to close out an impressive debut.
Check out “Shall We Start?” below. Follow the links below to connect with P1NO. Get on his profiles and stay in the loop on all of the music to come from this talented up and coming artist.
