Ricco Barrino f. Young Dro, “Stupid Problems”
- story Felipe Delerme
Swag music kind of went the way of the two-toned durag this summer, but that doesn’t mean that it hasn’t, and better yet, won’t still yield some serious jams. The man who provided the choruses for a large share of those very same summer jams happens to be Ricco Barrino, Grand Hustle’s best kept secret and brother to American Idol winner and beacon of adult literacy, Fantasia Barrino. Now we’d long known Ricco’s singing ability, but apparently he can also rap, and is now ready to share this with the world, along with his problems, the foremost of which is the fact that he’s too good at cooking up drugs.
Download: Rico Barrino f. Young Dro, “Stupid Problems”
Jap f. Young Dro + Big Kuntry, “How We Get” MP3
- story Sam Hockley-Smith
- photo Lisa Wiltse (FADER 62)
So Many Shrimp nailed it when they said that Young Dro bites Yung LA shamelessly on this song. And why shouldn’t he? Dro is the father of many current rapper’s styles, but LA is Grand Hustle’s style killer, rapping in a helium-voiced uptalk that dominates almost every song he’s on by sheer passive force. He’s not on this one though, so Dro takes a swing at soft sounds over Zaytoven’s ultra-positive bird-chirp synths.
Download: Jap f. Young Dro + Big Kuntry, “How We Get”
Freeload: Young Dro “On Fire” MP3
- story THE FADER
For our summer issue, now on newsstands, we went down to Atlanta to roll with Young Dro in his banana yellow Corvette and find out the deal on his upcoming album P.O.L.O. (Players Only Live Once). This new song, produced by Jim Jonsin, is apparently on the album and we are apparently going to listen to it for the rest of the day, though not in a vehicle that matches our socks.
Download: Young Dro “On Fire” (via DGB)
Video: Yung LA f Ricco Barrino, “Futuristic Love (Elroy)”
- story THE FADER
In the past few months we have grown to love Yung LA, whose creepily breathy singing/rapping style makes Shawty Lo sound like Johnny Cash. This new video, with Fantasia’s brother singing on the hook, should be appreciated for many things, not the least of which is the pan-fluted summer jam itself, but mostly the vague time travel narrative realized by director Va$htie with clothes and cars that look like Candyland pieces.
Freeload: Young Dro, “Dro Rock Diamonds”
- story THE FADER
This probably doesn’t make any sense, but we’re developing a theory that T.I.’s stint in federal housing might be the impetus for a flood of Grand Hustle records. He’s been so busy and popular that all the label’s focus has rightfully been on producing and releasing his material. But with Tip on vacay, maybe we’ll get a bunch of albums from his crew, including our current favorite: master of the punchline, Nard and B bro, Band Geek cleaner and Polo horse extraordinaire, Young Dro. Not that Dro needs to release an album to keep his poster on our wall, but it is almost getting to be kind of summer and “Dro Rock Diamonds” has tank top/ding sling/bikini jam dripped all over it.
Download: Young Dro, “Dro Rock Diamonds” (via Gotty)
