Kevin Gates has a dense, considered rap style and a distinctive singing voice. His latest tape, Make Em Believe, was just released, and it's got some incredible moments. Between previously-released tracks like the artfully detailed tour-de-force "Dangerous" and more pop-oriented material like love song "Satellites" is some pretty ferocious rap music. "Intro (I Ain't)" embodies the best traits of the record. Lyrically, Gates has an abstract approach, hinting at a deep biography in oblique allusions to a conflicted, troubled mindstate. His work is highly critical of his world, like this double-entendre indictment of religion: Ain't nothing wrong with Church's when they selling chicken out the window. But he manages to avoid cynicism, finding purpose in the details of his writing and craft.
Download: Kevin Gates, "Intro (Ain't I)"
