It’s the exact sort of combination that hip-hop heads want to hear: Dave East’s bars and la musica de Harry Fraud. Luckily, we’re set to receive that in spades, with their upcoming collaboration album Hoffa set to drop on July 30th. Today, East has come through to deliver his new single from the Westside Gunn-curated project, sharing “Diamonds” to set the tone for what’s to come.
Fraud makes a compelling case that less is more, providing East with a soulful vocal sample evocative of mafioso rap’s glory days. It’s the exact sort of non-invasive instrumental that benefits an emcee like East, whose words can paint as vivid a picture as a musical backdrop. “Used to wish I could kick it, fuck school, I have to trap today,” he raps, a snapshot into his formative years as a hustler. “Ain’t care what mama think, felt like Tom Hanks in Cast Away / package landed Wednesday, trying to get it off by Saturday.”
Check out “Diamonds” now, and sound off if you think Hoffa has the potential to be Dave East’s best album yet.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
Used to wish I could kick it, fuck school, I have to trap today
Ain’t care what mama think, felt like Tom Hanks in Cast Away
Package landed Wednesday, trying to get it off by Saturday
Even better by Friday, Frank Sinatra this my way