Restless from inability to perform live due to the pandemic, Kxng Blanco channeled the fervent energy characteristic of his stage persona into SummersOnSarsen, a powerful 18-track album that shows off the dynamic flexibility of a young hip-hop star on the rise. Following 2019’s Skee Yee! and LvrBoy, the Kxng of the Youth’s latest album is significantly more uptempo, with highlights including the flute-laden and body-positive “FatBoyFlow,” the keep-your-head-up anthem “PainN’Sufferin’” and the lyrical sprint “GetEven.” Named after the street he grew up on in West Athens, title track “SummersOnSarsen” closes out the album with a reflective look at the place where so many “accolades, trials, tribulations, failures, heartbreak” shaped him into who he is today. Keep an ear out for guest appearances by other local artists, too, like Squalle on “ClarkeKent,” Drii Gotti on “LateNightSession” and Lil Kell on “HowCaniLose.”
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