Olde Coffee

Some albums just make me happy for the scene. RMLLW2LLZ, a nomad by nature (his bio describes his journey as “Racine born, El Paso bred, Louisville treads”), has gone from an anonymous name on show flyers that make you ask, “How the hell do you pronounce that?” (answer: Romell with two Ls) to dropping a hugely impressive album. Joe Black’s production lays a solid foundation for one of the city’s most unique voices; Romell’s baritone sounds like no one else in rap. That his subjects strike the perfect balance of street level and lofty earthiness makes for a compelling listen. “Never Gonna Lose” sounds like a lost Cunninlynguists single, a flawless four minutes of hopeful introspection. RMLLW2LLZ is instantly a player in hip-hop. With a name and voice that are hard to forget, his time is now.