Premiere: Shumba Maasai Teams Up With 'Black Belle' Singer Diamant Ballou For "Berlin"

A hazy rap reflection on the encroaching winter and the ever-shrinking hours of daylight.

Shumba Masaai (credit: James Vaughan)
Publicist

Image via Publicist. Photography: James Vaughan

Shumba Masaai (credit: James Vaughan)

Following the release of his collaborative project T.O.T.K.O (under the SOMA moniker), with long-time collaborator ++OJR++, British rapper Shumba Maasai is back with new single "Berlin"—which is a little more relaxed than the T.O.T.K.O EP, but Maasai's sure-footed vocals are as easy to spot as ever. 

Over Deeb's sparse, smoky instrumental, Maasai weaves a smoky, seductive plea to a special someone while reflecting on the encroaching winter and the ever-shrinking hours of daylight. Meanwhile, Diamant Ballou adds an airy counterpoint with her feather-light vocals. Maasai explained to Complex that "the record is about a personal experience of missing someone in a long-distance relationship and arranging to meet in a completely new city, so we wanted to capture that vibe with this record." Stream "Berlin" exclusively below.

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