Baltimore-born artist Baby Bonez hit me up on IG. I usually don’t respond to “hey listen out for me” inquiries on IG (only because some artists don’t like me saying “hey, please introduce yourself to me and then maybe I’ll give you a listen”). I mean, my IG, even though I post a lot about music just isn’t the best venue to reach out to me. Unless I know you, I usually direct people to submit to my SubmitHub or, if I’m feeling lazy, my email.

That said, there was something about Bonez that made him stand out. So I gave his April release, Unapologetic, a listen. It could be that he’s also a fellow lo-fi DIY artist who started taking music very seriously in college. It could be that, while some of the mixes are rough, the bruhman’s got bars over some hard-hitting beats and appeals to my “Speed loves BARS!” mindset. The project also appeals to my “Baltimore is a crazy town but I still love it and want it to prosper, even when it’s on its wild wild west ish” mentality. If I had to put a finger on who Bonez sounds like, I don’t know if I could. He reminds me some of early DAR, but also reminds me of a mix between J. Cole and Tate Kobang. He’s conscious within his raps, but still showcases the grit of the city he calls home.

The main thing that may make you pass this one is the mixing. The bars are there, the beats are beautiful, the storytelling is top-tier. But the mix is, again, rough. However, they don’t call me the “No-Fi King” for nothing. What I mean is that the project still deserves a listen, even if the mix isn’t the cleanest. I’d be a hypocrite if I denied a dope collection of tracks just because of the mix. I decline pieces because the mix isn’t good and there’s something else I don’t rock with heavily enough. This one, though? It’s good music, mix be damned.

Check out Unapologetic below and support dope music in all its forms.