As I have stated on this blog many times and as most people who follow trending music would know, the Milwaukee Hip Hop scene is definitely known for a pretty specific and wild sound. Over the last year or so, multiple artists from Milwaukee have gone viral. Rappers like myaap, Certified Trapper, AyooLii, and J.P. have put Milwaukee Hip Hop on the map as one of the most exciting music scenes in the country. All of these artists are known for upbeat and aggressive Party Drill music that is bound to get any function jumping when it comes on. Contrary to popular belief outside of the city, though, the Milwaukee Hip Hop scene is very diverse. There are many artists who also deserve recognition from Milwaukee that make eclectic music that is very different from what most people would typically associate with the city. One artist I wanted to highlight that fits into this category is IKJai. He is a musician with an eclectic sound that seems to be influenced by so many different kinds of Hip Hop and Alternative music. It is tough to pinpoint his sound and style because it is so interesting and wide-ranging. IKJai is an evolving artist who is really coming into their own as of late. Formerly known as JJRocket(I actually wrote about him back when he was known as JJRocket last summer), IKJai started putting music out about a year ago or so and has been rapidly growing their sound and following since. IKJai started this new section of his music career near the end of August 2023(coincidentally, not long after I wrote about his music under the name JJRocket). He closed out 2023 very strongly, releasing 3 singles and an album called 26 The Tape!! over the last four months of the year. IKJai recently kicked off his 2024 in a hot manner as well with his new single called ‘CHIT CHAT !!,’ which I wanted to briefly talk about below. Please let me know in the comments how you feel about IKJai and his new single, and also comment the names of any other rising artists that I should check out.

‘CHIT CHATT !!’ is a lively and intense sound that fits perfectly into the underground Alternative Hip Hop scene that is becoming big over the last year or so. If you are a fan of artists like Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and Playboi Carti, this is a song for you. ‘CHIT CHATT !!’ is an aggressive and distorted banger with a larger-than-life sound that injects me with energy when I listen to it. The melody for this track, which is gloomy and mean, is driven by high saturated synths; this synth-driven melody is harsh and foreboding; to be honest, it sort of has a tone that reminds me of a horror movie. This melody is put on top of a punchy and tough Trap beat with a pretty quick pace that contributes to the power of the track. IKJai’s vocals on ‘CHIT CHATT !!’ are just as riveting and fun as the instrumental. I like how his lighter tone contrasts the dark sound of the melody, as it creates texture and makes the track dynamic. IKJai’s intricate and rapid flow on this track matches its energy as well, making ‘CHIT CHATT !!’ feel so epic. In addition to the original version of ‘CHIT CHATT !!,’ IKJai also releases a sped up version of the track and a slowed and reverb version of it. Both of these other versions of ‘CHIT CHATT !!’ give the song a different energy that stands out, with the sped up version feeling softer and brighter and the slowed up version feeling even more harsh and forceful. ‘CHIT CHATT !!’ is a dope track that shows the huge amount of potential that IKJai has, and it makes me pumped up to continue to follow him and see what he does on this new journey in his music career

** IKJai just released a new single called ‘DOUBTED ME !!’ that is just as good as ‘CHIT CHATT !!.’ ‘DOUBTED ME !!’ has a similar energy to ‘CHIT CHATT !!,’ driven by bold distorted synths and a hard-hitting beat that makes the song feel so huge. If you are a fan of the song ‘CHIT CHATT !!,’ you will definitely like this one as well. Please check it out!