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At their best, posse cuts serve two purposes. The primary effect is buffet enjoyment. Like a little bit of this? Well here’s a lot–gorge yourself! The secondary, but perhaps more important, aspect is the creation of a platform for differentiation. You know you like Wu Tang; now you get to hear all the members and discover their quirks in stark contrast to one another. The finest posse cuts celebrate individualism and unity simultaneously, the former forging a whole greater than the sum of the parts.
As we’ve seen in the past few months, Chicago’s SAVEMONEY crew is in no short supply of excellent group tracks. “Red Kool-Aid” is a fitting addition to the pile, sonically removed from previous everybody-jump-in-the-pool singles “Steamer” and “Seppuku,” but similar in the impression it creates: No one wants to be outdone. With a buttery beat in tow, Brian Frescod dexterously stacks syllables, Joey Purp loses himself in the beat with melodic effortlessness, Sterling Haze dives into and out of rhythms both laid back and manic, and Kami de Chukwu raps as if he’s on the verge of explosion.
Each emcee’s differences on full display, “Red Kool-Aid” comes across as another intriguing exercise in a young rap crew’s journey to find full voice. It’s unpretentious rap for people who love rapping as an end in itself. Give it a listen below.
