“SVDDNLY I JUST CAN’T BREATHE” is a woozy, raw, magical, and surprisingly short song from one of hip-hop’s most tantalizingly inscrutable rapper. He doesn’t offer much direct commentary on his record. Instead, he pushes further into the murky territory he begins mapping out, loosening up his flow, letting down his guard, and wandering ever-further into the recesses of his mind. The rapper from East St. Louis, Illinois and currently residing in Arlington, Texas, doesn’t overthink his music. He instead emerges with melody-heavy raps that talk about the thrills and joys of love.
It’s more so a collection of observations and feelings the rapper expresses. His verses don’t give much clarity to that ambitious context so much as they offer fragments. If there are musical gems, they are delivered in code, and the meaning comes from the sounds of the words themselves. Nonetheless, T22 has a gimmick in place and he’s aware of it. But it’s a good gimmick, and sometimes in rap, that’s all you need. This becomes even more profound by the blending of rock and rap genres. He leans towards his technical skill, while also caring deeply about his craft and how it sounds, both in delivery and performance.
He devotes himself to refining the hazy, arcane beat with vocal cries and some minimal guitar shredding. It’s the closest he’s come to defining the style he’s striving for: narrative and emotional, physical and abstract. Anyone can oversaturate some moody samples and chalk it up to a “vibe,” but few can weave those disparate elements together in a compelling way that inspires the listener to fill in their own narratives. With each passing minute, the bars seem to get a little more melodic, the beat a little more interesting, and T22’s persona comes further into focus.
T22 seems to be longing to recreate himself, to put a distance between himself and his musical peers. He wants to define what the modern rapper is all about by being versatile and balanced; He’s feel for how best to wade through the beat feels stunningly natural. No one can be better at finding their place in such kind of music while navigating the moving parts with precision. Moreover, the artist does his best to make sure “SVDDNLY I JUST CAN’T BREATHE” doesn’t sound like a hastily cut-together scrap record. This song is endearingly straightforward and has a firm ceiling as a result.
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