YNW Melly's "Murder On My Mind" made him a rap star in his home state of Florida. In some ways, the song is an unlikely hit; it's a slow-rolling track with vivid and violent imagery that switches between remorseful crooning and unrepentant rapping. But the song, originally released in March 2017, was an early example of what Melly does best: setting the darkest corners of his thoughts and memories to beautiful melodies.
The video for the song is dizzying and graphic. In one scene, Melly holds onto a bloodied body as it gets carried away on stretcher, but then the roles are switched, and it's Melly who's bleeding out. “I woke up in jail cell, and I started singing the chorus," Melly told The FADER. "I didn't even like it at first until sung it to a inmate he said it was a hit."
Melly's new project I Am You is out now. Watch the "Murder On My Mind" video above and stream the project below.
Thumbnail image: Devin Christopher for The FADER.
