On his impressive, succinct EP fo(u)r, Chicago rapper Femdot used nostalgia as fuel, a framing device for the project’s structure (through clever fake radio promos reminiscent of Little Brother’s The Listening) and clever bedrock for its production palette. New EP thr(we). extends the formula that made fo(u)r so enjoyable, marrying Femdot’s able, insistent rapping with production that revisits a past the 20-year-old artist only could have experienced as a child—standout “whtyawnt” samples Musiq Soulchild’s debut hit “Just Friends (Sunny),” a song that is only four years younger than Femdot.
Though thr(we) explores slightly darker sonic textures than fo(u)r, Femdot’s energy and sense of humor color the proceedings with occasional splashes of much needed levity.
“With so much going in the world today, thr(we). serves as break,” the young Chicagoan says of his latest project. “I want my music to not only reflect what’s going in the world, but sometimes help be an escape from it. And that’s what I hope this could be. The names of these projects [fo(u)r and thr(we).) may be different, it may look like I’m up to something, some sort of pattern and I am and everything will make sense soon.”
Listen below and keep an eye on Femdot.
