If you’re a regular reader of 5 On It, you might remember I.O.D. as the mad mind behind the song that should have been the biggest surprise hit of 2014, “Ebola.”
On “ARMME,” a song that predates “Ebola,” the 21-year-old Brooklyn rapper showcases the same elastic energy of “Ebola” without what might be viewed as gimmickry. “ARMME” puts I.O.D.’s particular charisma on display, a chorus-less onslaught that feels like a boulder rolling ever-faster downhill over its runtime. A simple, stylized black and white video embodies some of that momentum, I.O.D. lurching inexorably towards the camera like a zombie raised on DMX. A unique voice to watch from a city that was once full of rap’s most exciting talent.
