When Lucki Eck$called his debut mixtape Alternative Trap last summer, the youngster from Chicago was making a statement that he would be different from his peers in the city on either side of the musical scene. His newest song, "Xan Cage," exemplifies his stand out qualities. It starts with the strings and humming (courtesy of frequent collaborator Mulatto Beats) that repeats for nearly a minute before the rapping starts. It hints of classical Indian music, and sets an ominous mood. The beat switches up, and Lucki begins to take the listener on a journey through his Xanax-fueled mind.
Lucki seems engulfed in his drug experience, and details the contradictory feelings of liberation and imprisonment that he seems to be experiencing simultaneously. "When I'm off all these bars/I should be behind some bars," he says. But it's not just about his feelings; Lucki also shares intimate details of his life on the song, as he talks about the time his mother discovered his drug stash when he was younger. He also showcases some clever wordplay: "She thinks she plays her cards right as long as she deals with it/Well, bitch this shelter's closed you can't use this meal ticket," he says.
With the video for "Xan Cage," director Jimmy Regular of Point And Shoot manages to capture the world through Lucki's eyes, with distorted visual effects and multiple camera angles. It matches the aesthetic that has been laid down in earlier videos, such as "Boomin" and "Count On Me."
Lucki's next project, Body High, will be dropping July 18. This one is guaranteed to leave a mark.
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