Shilla – “8” (EP Review)
“8“, the new 5 track EP by Shilla made up of two members G.r.i.e.f & HollywoodRoze. G.r.i.e.f was raised in Detroit Mi and HollywoodRoze was raised in Broward County, Fl. The duo find themselves living in Atlanta, and heavily involved in the growing rap scene in that area. With a over saturation of artists in the area, it’s pretty difficult to stand out, but these two have no problem with that using their hard felt lyrics over smooth cohesive beats to gain a solid audience of fans and cult listeners. With “8” being just a EP, this project serves as a strong introduction of what else they have coming in the future.
The group likes to refer to the number 8 34, paying respects to one of the most dynamic tandems in sports history Kobe & Shaq. “8” is the former half of that duo and with this EP they aimed for finesse while still showing versatility which is a way you could describe Kobe’s game on the court. Every song has its own vibe but this does not take away from the cohesiveness of the project. Instead it shows Shilla’s versatility which is what they aim to do with every project or piece of music they release.
With a short track listing, it’s makes it quite easy to find the go to song on this project, at the same time with all the sings being good, it’s a flip of a coin between “Mamba” produced by Paplobeats, and “Romo” produced by Sigma Beats being a bit more catchier than the rest. Making total sense that they decided to end the EP with that song. I definitely dig the mixture of influences from different parts of the country, in making a new fresh sound coming out of Atlanta.
My rating score for “8” by Shilla will fall on the exact number it stands for, 8/10. The project scores a bit higher than I expected due to the fact that it is new era type rap, and listeners will be able to understand all the lyrics. This project does cater to a younger audience with catchy vocal melodies, but also appeals to a mature audience since the duo have a bit more originality and creativity than most young rappers. I also didn’t hear one bit of mumble rap in their tracks which is why you should give G.r.i.e.f & HollywoodRoze a listen. You can also stream “8” on Spotify.
