El Paso collective Tusk Airline have been killing the game for a minute now, and their most recent video for the single ‘Slide’ is continued evidence of this. The song dropped earlier this month, starring three of the group’s roster engaging in slick, infectious hip-hop that might just be their strongest piece of songwriting to date. The all too brief track stars a cortdot beat that quivers and rollicks in equal measure, and each member slides perfectly on it. KISS’DBYANGELS handles the earworm chorus with a softer, more relaxed vocal tone than his typical performances, he really is the star of the show here. Every member conveys lyrical themes typical of their work as a collective, fans of the group will find a lot to enjoy in the sharp, unwavering rap performances that celebrate rapping well, getting money and most importantly having fun. The carefree track is appropriately concise, as each artist gets a chance to shine and showcase their various flows without significant repetition, the group perfectly encapsulate everything great about shorter, harder-hitting song structure with this joint.
As for the visual, it’s an important accompaniment in order to understand the collective’s approach to making music and art, and the positive attitude that they display while doing so. Sporting three members of the group kicking it in front of a cloudy, cacti-littered landscape, the video is imbued with the idea of a united spirit, and of a rap posse focused on the concept of creating simple, entertaining snapshots of their time spent together. Self-shot, the visualisation of ‘Slide’’s sleek sound is focused on the trio having fun in their state of Texas, taking in their windswept surroundings as they mime to the single’s lyrics. It’s evident that each rapper is having as much fun as possible in this video, and I believe that its simplicity is what makes it so fun to watch. ANGELS, BIG REBOSKI and Bills have created something both effortlessly cool and heartwarmingly down to earth, matching the breezy, melodic sound of the track perfectly. Both this song and its video feel like a showcase of incredible talent without any unnecessary, perfunctory additions. The collective are evidently inspired by each other’s diverse sounds, and by bouncing off each other’s energies they always create quality entertainment.
Check out the single on Apple Music here. Watch the video here.
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