Sam Charif - "Back to Blue Slide Park" - Single

[StevePulaski]

"Back to Blue Slide Park" - Single (2014)
By: Sam Charif

Rating: ★★★

Chicago-based, teenage rapper Sam Charif returns to the music game after some downtime with "Back to Blue Slide Park," which will be included on his forthcoming EP Euphoria1. After normally just writing and recording the lyrics, letting others lend their hand to mix them, "Back to Blue Slide Park" sees Charif as the mixer and sound-engineer for his own song, making the single feel incredibly personal and intimate despite functioning in a field where compromise and partnership are almost consistently encountered.

"Back to Blue Slide Park" is a strong rap song, reminiscent of the work by the slain Atlanta-based rapper Dolla, who I cite as one of my all-time favorite rappers, in its tonality and delivery. Charif takes the mic after a brief introduction and spits lyrics that are surprising in how hard they hit and the presence they assert. Furthermore, Charif's unique voice makes sure every word is illustrated and crystal clear, never jamming too many words in a verse or reciting them with a sense of lackadaisical delivery. Charif is consistently on the top of his game and proper when it comes to his lyricism.

Then there's the instrumentation, which, occasionally finds itself similar in melody and flow to Notorious B.I.G.'s classic rap ballad "Big Poppa," and Charif does the instrumentation justice, filling it with lyrics about personal restlessness and dealing with yourself, your alter-ego, and your internal thoughts. If Charif shows the same kind of willingness and management tactics with his forthcoming EP that he did on "Back to Blue Side Park," there's no reason why this project won't be something memorable - and perhaps the kickstarter for bigger projects - for the young rapper.

Give "Back to Blue Slide Park" a listen on SoundCloud, soundcloud.com/samcharifsound/back-to-blue-slide-park