Kendric McDuffle-Mitchell, better known by his stage name Everything Ken X, is a drill hip-hop artist with an aggressive, raw sound of hip-hop that doesn’t fail to captivate at every turn — and on his latest single, “Now Or Never”, he opens up a Pandora’s box of influences to present a gritty hip-hop sound that delivers power — keep reading for my thoughts!
From the start of the track, it’s fairly clear that Ken isn’t messing around with the aggression; the sound is deliberate; from the atmospheric police sirens in the background, to the gritty, present basses that make up the foundation of the track, the beat is powerful, and thunders deep with the 808, while maintaining a drill sound with the snares and the hi-hats, creating an atmosphere that’s delectable indeed. The use of ambient sounds, almost like ad-libs, are quite innovative, and lay down a solid backing for the rapping.
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The rapping on “Now Or Never” is a trademark aggressive style with the main vocals focused front and center, with tasteful inclusion of vocal ad-libs and layers to further strengthen the sound. The rhyming is straight and aims for maximum punch, and Ken’s vocal tones are just about right for the genre of track — his gritty voice throughout “Now Or Never” makes for an enjoyable listening experience indeed. The pacing is fast, the energy high, and the experience well-rounded.
“Now Or Never” is mixed with one focus and one focus only — power and presentation. The atmosphere is wide, the bass guitar is present loud and centre, alongside the vocals — a creative experimental approach to mixing, this; with the vocal layers panned just enough to create more meat in the mix. The master is dynamic and maintains great balance between the lows and the highs, making for an excellent sound overall.
All in all, “Now Or Never” by Everything Ken X: Presented with skill and driven with creativity in the beat, this song is sure to amaze — check out the track here:
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