— Atlanta-based rapper and founder of Love Village Records, ONELOVE, dropped his latest project earlier this year titled, How To Be A Rapper In The Rapture.
Since the release of his first project back in 2014, Atlanta’s ONELOVE has been dedicated to his craft in more ways than one as he aims to change lives and uplift spirits with his music. As the founder of Atlanta-based indie label Love Village Records he continues to do just that, building a team of his own and throwing grassroots events among other things. Still, nothing takes precedent over the music and coming off of his 2021 EP, Something to Quarantine to, ONELOVE delivers another one with 2023’s How To Be a Rapper In the Rapture.
Coming in at just 16 minutes and 46 seconds, How To Be A Rapper In The Rapture is a concise, to-the-point project. However, don’t get confused. Despite its length, the 9-track EP — produced almost entirely by Atlanta’s own Pyjign — holds its own complete with underground grit, radio-friendly records, humorous yet meaningful skits, and a consistent message throughout.
The project opens with an inspirational monologue aptly titled “INSP(Intro) [i]” in which the speaker drops a few gems and shares some encouraging words for all of the creators out there. The track is backed by an enchanting instrumental that leads right into the second song, “SUPERSTAR.”
“SUPERSTAR,” featuring ONELOVE’s right-hand-man sheetzTRCK, could easily be the highlight of the entire project. In every possible way, this track soothes the senses with an incredibly seductive hook courtesy of polished vocals from sheetzTRCK with sincere and expressive bars from ONELOVE contrasted by the use of zany Quasimoto-esque vocal distortion in the beginning.
The following track, “DON’T STOP,” is one of the more creative and eccentric tracks on the EP. Also featuring sheetzTRCK, the song is built over an incredibly unique beat equipped with a spine-tingling bassline and a number of other sonic elements that make it one of a kind. With such unorthodox production, both ONELOVE and sheetzTRCK delivered equally unique verses complimenting said production flawlessly.
Following the album’s second skit, “CURREN$Y MINDSET,” in which renowned New Orleans rapper Curren$y shares some wisdom about true passion and purpose, we get to the album’s title track, “HOW TO BE A RAPPER IN THE RAPTURE.” This is where ONELOVE delivers the album’s central message as he calls out all of the fake, phony, and fraudulent rappers that occupy today’s hip-hop scene by sharing his highly-perceptive observations with lyrics like,
How to be a rapper in the rapture
All I see is actors, see no rappers
Cappin’ bout your figures, y’all boys is non-factors
Caught up in the rapture, your life manufactured
Starting off with another short monologue that asks an honest (yet hilariously thought-provoking) question about our naive faith in our own abilities in comparison to those of Jesus, ONELOVE gets introspective with “IN MY MIND”. With lush and entrancing lo-fi production handled by Pyjign, the stage was perfectly set for ONELOVE’s meditative delivery making “IN MY MIND” ideal for a good ‘wake and bake’.
“VALUE?,” another clever skit, may be the most important on the entire album as ONELOVE and sheetzTRCK highlight the absurdly low payouts artists receive for music streams. With a casual conversation over the phone, the two artists make a number of strong points in a discussion that artists have been having at large since “the streaming era” took over the music industry.
Over buttery smooth production that evokes the vibe of a humid night out in the tropics, ONELOVE serves up a timeless classic with “THE MAN” featuring none other than sheetzTRCK. With both rappers complimenting the production with smooth flows and mellow vocals, the only thing that could make this song better is if it were longer.
The album comes to a close with the velvety smooth “SO ELECTRIC.” With yet another feature from sheetzTRCK, ONELOVE also enlists the help of another Love Village artist, PhillGood! Coming in at 4 minutes and 26 seconds, “SO ELECTRIC” is the project’s longest song as the trio croon their hearts out all in the name of good energy, good aura, and all around good vibes.
For those looking for more from ONELOVE, you’re in luck. Since the release of How To Be A Rapper In The Rapture ONELOVE has recently released two singles, “ANOTHER DEAD RAPPER” and “ITS WAR.” Furthermore, the Atlanta-based lyricist has announced the release of his next project, THE SONS RETURN, releasing on Bandcamp on October 27th and all other streaming platforms on November 3rd.
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Listen to the entire How To Be A Rapper In The Rapture EP right here, check out THE SONS RETURN on October 27th, and be sure to follow ONELOVE on Instagram to stay up to date on his latest moves.