1.
Back in May, I heard Memphis rapper Jon Waltz for the first time with “Bang.” It sounded unfinished, but it was the type of song that I kept going back to. I found myself humming the chorus on the train, playing the song in my head when I didn’t have headphones in, and wanting to revisit it multiple times a day. There was something special about this song, and it signaled a new kind of artist influenced by the modern soundscape of hip-hop instead of shaped by past decades. You’ll hear a little Drake and a little Kendrick Lamar in this one, but most impressive is the songwriting, not the technical skills. Jon jumps from singing the chorus to handling the verses, and he ties it all together into an idea with a cohesiveness that you rarely get from a new artist.
Today, months after our initial listen, “Bang” is finally finished, and it finally feels complete. The production has been polished a bit and beefed up with deep 808s, and this version will be the first single to his upcoming project. If you liked the original version, check this one out. If you haven’t heard Jon Waltz yet, get familiar.
Download it here.
