Master Shortie is one of those artists you'll either love, or totally loathe. Regardless of the latter though, you'll find it hard not to respect the kid's graft. The south London-raised rapper, who recently relocated to Brooklyn, just released his Theodore EP which, he describes, as being "a perfect example of the dichotomy of American culture through the eyes of a UK artist who has assimilated life in Brooklyn." But it's not all Americanized as you might think: on lead track, "Elvis Presley", Theodore Kerlin borrows the bar-throwing of grime's Skepta to create a party banger that is all the way trill.
Speaking on the track and video, which we're premiering today, Shortie told Complex: "My thought process behind this track was to create a relevant one that infused both US and UK culture, mixing Memphis-sounding trap with UK grime flows. And, in a way, it's kinda like me re-introducing myself as an artist while also letting people hear my new vibe. The video for it, I filmed back in London when my Trapstar boys threw their Roc Nation deal party. When I saw the potential visual to match this particular song, I just grabbed a camera and started shooting as much as I could that evening. So hold tight Trapstar, Darq E Freaker, G FrSH, Catch'em, Krept & Konan, and all the other dope artists that came through and made it happen."
Watch the video for "Elvis Presley" above. Master Shortie's 6-track EP, Theodore, is out now and can be streamed in full right here.
