When one thinks of Milwaukee Hip Hop music, they probably think of vibrant melodies, high octane and fast-paced beats, and overall super unique sounding music. Milwaukee has gained a reputation in the Hip Hop world recently for some of the most unorthodox and daring sounding Hip Hop music. Artists like J.P., Myaap, and AyooLii have been blowing up because of how much they think outside the box and come up with entertaining sounds that are unlike Hip Hop being made anywhere else. A Milwaukee Hip Hop artist on the rise that I dig a bunch who embodies this sentiment maybe more than anyone is Ef Ay. Ever since I came across Ef Ay last year, I have been hooked on the interesting music that he makes and have wanted so much more. Ef Ay has this super larger-than-life presence that permeates through his music, and his essence and individuality make his sound pop. He first started to pop off near the end of 2023 when his single ‘MONDAY FUNDDAY’ started to pop off online and make its mark around the city as one of the most fun Milwaukee Hip Hop tracks out at the time. After releasing that track, Ef Ay started to grind and put the work in. He closed out 2023 and began 2024 with several very enticing singles(some of which I have written about, so go check out those write-ups when you are done here), building on his momentum. After taking a break from his releases for a couple of months, Ef Ay started dropping new music again in May. After dropping some high-quality singles with ThatGuyEli in May, he has been very prolific with his releases since August(go read my last write-up about Ef Ay to learn about some of those awesome August releases). In this piece, I wanted to talk about Ef Ay’s two newest tracks, ‘TUNA !, which features fellow Milwaukee rapper 2hi, and ‘LOTTERY !,’ both of which were dropped back in September. Please let me know in the comments below what you think of these new tracks from Ef Ay, and also comment the names of any other up-and-coming or Milwaukee-based artists you think I should check out!

‘TUNA !’ is a fun and vibrant banger that has the kind of sound and energy that can put anyone in a good mood when it comes on. Honestly, I just wish there were more to this track because, at 1:21, it feels like it comes and goes too quickly. ‘TUNA !’ has a hard-hitting Melodic Slap music sound that punches you in the faces as soon as it comes on. This song starts out in a rowdy manner and continues that high-key energy throughout its short run time. The synths that drive the melody for this track are bright and charming; they have a high level of saturation that makes this melody inviting and grating at the same time. ‘TUNA !’ has a fast-paced, off-kilter beat that fits into the Milwaukee Slap music world perfectly. This is the kind of song that makes me want to get in the middle of a dance floor and do the signature Milwaukee dances that have been popping off online. Vocally, both Ef Ay and 2hi absolutely kill it on this track. They both rap with fast-paced, enticing flows that fit the pacing of the beat perfectly. I really like the way the lower and more raspy vocals from 2hi contrast the lighter tone from Ef Ay, as this gives ‘TUNA !’ and really makes it pop. ‘TUNA !’ is a really fun flash-in-the-pan sort of track, and it makes me want to party when I hear it. ‘LOTTERY !,’ which is Ef Ay’s latest release, is slightly more calm and low-key than the song that precedes it. Do not get me wrong, this song still has a good amount of raucous energy compared to a lot of the other Trap music being made today, But compared to ‘TUNA !,’ this one almost feels soft. The melody that drives ‘LOTTERY !’ is very warm and pleasant. There is a very inviting element to this melody that almost gives it a lullaby feeling, which I enjoy a lot. The beat for ‘TUNA !’ does have a Milwaukee Slap music tempo, but it is a bit slower and more sludgy than the song that precedes it. The way the drums hit on this one makes it feel heavier and more in your face, which is a nice switch up from the slightly more toned-down feeling of the beat on the previous track. Ef Ay’s rap performance on this track is significantly harder and not nearly as welcoming as the one on the previous track. For the most part, his tone on this one is pretty low and kind of gruff. At a couple of moments in the song, some heavy autotune comes onto his vocals, giving the song an interesting texture that stands out in a pretty cool manner. ‘LOTTERY !’ is a slightly tougher and bolder track than ‘TUNA !,’ and it shows a more gritty side of Ef Ay that I appreciate. Both of these new releases from Ef Ay once again show that Ef Ay is such an exciting and interesting rapper to watch, and I am always pumped up to see what he has cooked up for the future.