ILLFIGHTYOU – “Flash” (Stereogum Premiere)
ILLFIGHTYOU are a gritty Tacoma rap duo whose chosen name kind of says it all. Their aggressive, drug-addled debut mixtape put them on the map as part of Seattle’s criminally overlooked underground hip-hop scene, and if their forthcoming CASHINTHEBATHROOM EP doesn’t catapult them to the more recognition on the national level, then bloggers aren’t doing their jobs right. Today we’re premiering a track off that tape called “Flash,” and when you hear the looseness that swings in the flow of KHRIS P and UGLYFRANK, chalk it up to the casual, chill attitude of the West (best) Coast. Even with the ominous, curdled bassline throbbing through the back end of the track, the song has a jocular, carefree air to it. “Flash” functions like a warning shot; ILLFIGHTYOU are predicting their own shine, flipping the track itself into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Listen closely for clever lines about Whole Foods, olive oil, and your mom’s minivan — nothing’s off limits in ILLFIGHTYOU’s rhyme scheme.
The CASHINTHEBATHROOM EP will be out later this year.