One of my favorite things to do on this blog is to cover new Hip Hop artists with a sound and style that is completely individual. As I stated in my post about JoeJas last week, Hip Hop music is as diverse and interesting as ever right now, especially when you look into underground and independent artists. One rapper I came across recently with a sound and style that sticks out is Shake Down. He is an artist whose music has a familiar element to it, but also feels so raw and individualistic. Shake Down has not been making music for long, but he has made a pretty big impact in the Minneapolis Hip Hop scene during the short time he has been putting out music. Shake Down’s first three singles on Spotify were put out back in 2021. He increased his output a bit in 2022, putting out three stand-alone singles and an album called The Wizard. These 2022 releases are what really helped him make a name for himself, putting him on the map as a rising rapper from North Minneapolis that people need to pay attention to. Shake Down put out two more singles in 2023, and recently put out his first single of 2024. One of my favorite things about Shake Down is how diverse his sound is. Even if most of his music does have an underlying severe and serious theme, he still has a ton of range and can make Hip Hop for all different kinds of fans of the genre. Below, I wanted to briefly highlight two of his newest singles to drive this point home: ‘HOOD MAYOR,’ which came out near the end of 2023, and ‘TRIPPING,’ which is the aforementioned single from 2024. Please let me know in the comments below what you think of these new singles from Shake Down, and also comment the names of any other up-and-coming artists you think I should check out!

‘HOOD MAYOR,’ which was released back on October 6, 2023, is a short yet very impactful track. This song has a Melodic Trap sound that fits so well into what is big in Underground Hip Hop music today. When I first heard ‘HOOD MAYOR,’ the first artists I thought of were Youngboy NeverBrokeAgain and Quando Rondo. This song is driven by a melancholy synth-driven melody that is soothing and downtrodden at the same time. This melody is put on top of a punchy and bold Trap beat that gives the song emphasis and creates a harsher element to the track. The instrumental for ‘HOOD MAYOR’ is cool, but the best thing about this track by far is the vocal performance from Shake Down. His tone is somehow clear and raspy at the same time. It is nice to listen to, but the emotion in his voice is palpable. Shake Down’s flow on ‘HOOD MAYOR’ is so rhythmic and makes this song such an earworm. ‘HOOD MAYOR’ is a song that will get stuck in your head the second you hear it because of how catchy it is. ‘TRIPPING,’ which was released a few weeks ago on March 15, has a completely different sound than the song that precedes it. ‘TRIPPING’ has a way more dark and mean sound than HOOD MAYOR.’ This is the kind of song for fans of artists like Pooh Shiesty, Moneybagg Yo, or Young Dolph. ‘TRIPPING’ has a very harsh and dark sound that is so foreboding and grating. The song is driven by a looming melody that sounds like something that would play before a big fight scene in an action or thriller movie. This melody is put on top of a beat with an energy that is just as jarring and strong as the melody. I really love how hard the bass pounds on this track, as its vicious nature makes me want to jump around in a mosh pit when it comes on. Shake Down’s vocal performance on ‘TRIPPING’ is so different from his vocals on ‘HOOD MAYOR.’ He does not sing-rap on this one; instead, he raps with a gruff and hoarse tone that fits the nasty sound of the instrumental so nicely. Like ‘HOOD MAYOR,’ Shake Down’s flow on ‘TRIPPING’ is excellent. The time he raps with is perfect for the track and once again forces this song to get stuck in anyone’s head that hears it. ‘TRIPPING’ is a great track with a larger-than-life sound that will motivate anyone who listens to it. These two latest releases from Shake Down show off his immense talent and eclecticism as a rapper. I am excited to keep following Shake Down’s career because it is easy to see he has so much potential and major star power.