Originally posted on TheSource.com:
In a cultural landscape desperately seeking authenticity, talent and genuine passion, Brooklyn’s G4SHi is leading a revolution entirely his own, with both middle fingers up and his signature gold-adorned grin gleaming.
Unapologetically himself, the young musician has fought battles and overcome challenges that permanently separate him from the pack, drawing from his experiences to help season his ever-evolving sound, such as growing up as an African-born Albanian refugee and navigating through life as a first-generation American.
As a natural tastemaker, he is fully involved in the creative process behind his artistry; building an ardent argument he’s not only the full package but that he’s up next. From the compelling visuals often accompanying his music to the detail-oriented compositions found in each song, everything with his name on it, he’s touched and helped turn to gold. His latest offering, a seven-track EP entitled Stairs, is further proof he’s only just getting started.
While successfully balancing a mysterious allure with a lyrically blunt honesty, G4SHi’s strengths on Stairs lie in his ability to curate the direction he envisions his art moving and in turn, crafts what can be best categorized as mood music. As an artist, he thinks bigger picture, allowing himself to make a believer out of the most cynical listener with ease, winning over new ears each passing day through his on-point production choices and stylistically forward-thinking vocal delivery.
There is a devious element behind each song on Stairs that is as charming as it is menacing. This can only be achieved through authoritative decision-making and risk-taking, two things the charismatic G4SHi has seldom struggled with throughout his budding career.
While Stairs differs momentously from his 2014 full length debut 4Play, his decision to move away from the sounds found in contemporary underground Hip Hop and come into his own consciously was the best move for him to make and in doing so organically, he’s operating on a new level. Fans that consider G4SHi solely a rapper do him a great disservice, and while less open-minded rap purists may be resistant to his new innovative sound, there’s a ceaseless confidence rooted in his music trusting that those who leave him will be back. He’s evolved, and Stairs is a true, remorseless testament to that.
From the project’s first track, “Avni,” all the way through to its closer, “Dubai” G4SHi familiarizes listeners to several different layers of his complex individuality without diving too deep, exposing a vulnerability that can only be commended while furthermore leaving room for his opus to manifest as he matures as a recording artist.
While each song paints a vivid picture greatly contrasting from the story depicted in the song playing before it, all are interlaced together by multidimensional, tactful production and G4SHi’s cunning rhyme-singing. The project’s intriguing depth promises listeners will get openly lost in the soundscapes he creates, such as in the sensual world of “Soho House,” the on-repeat anthem celebrating the real homies “Day Ones” and the undeniably cool, icy vibe of “Jean Claude Van Damme.” “Switch Up” offers something for those nostalgic for his Hip Hop roots while “Personal” touches on new territory with its powerful, downtempo moments.
If Stairs were a collection designed and fit for a runway show, it would encompass the luxury of Oscar De La Renta, the experimental, dark side of Givenchy and the timelessness of Chanel, all while harnessing the curious appeal that the now-essential Kanye West Yeezy line holds.
When G4SHi attests, “Everything you need to know about me, you can learn from my music,” he truly means it. The autobiographical lyrics that make up Stairs are never sugarcoated and as a result, it’s difficult to not to be captivated by his songwriting and his distinctively strong personality as it’s carefully woven into his music.
As each track casts a spell over those wandering in late to the function while further solidifying the support of his already heart-eyed and growing fan base, G4SHi is putting himself on the board in a permanent way with Stairs. This project is acting both as a sophisticated reintroduction to G4SHi as the extraordinary artist he is becoming and a much-needed reminder that against all odds, the best music speaks for itself.