There's no denying that the game is changing, so I suppose it was only a matter of time that Emo and hip-hop once again crossed path. The former genre seemed to peak in the early 2010s, which led to several hip-hop adjacent emo-friendly acts like Gym Class Heroes and Hollywood Undead, only to taper off as emo's popularity waned. Now, the divisive Lil Peep has brought emo rap back with a vengeance, and Lil Uzi Vert's "XO Tour Life" has many qualities that would qualify it as an "emo anthem." Therefore, it's no surprise that a collaboration between Delaware's Lil West and New England's nothing, nowhere has surfaced.
The track, titled "REM," is a deviation from West's traditional sound he deftly showcased on LW17. The biggest, and perhaps more jarring shift is the overtly emo-aesthetic, which finds singer nothing, nowhere belting out pining lyrics with a calculated whine. The production seems to borrow from trap, at least in the percussion department; the main element in the instrumental arrangement is an electric guitar arpeggio, which makes this track feel decidedly "un-rap." Still, West closes off the track admirably, drowning his vocals in autotune and adding his voice to the melancholic chorus.
In case you don't know about nothing, nowhere, I've done a bit of research for your benefit. Apparently, dude is a rising voice in the emo genre, and his sound has received co-signs from Fallout Boy, Dashboard Confessional and Good Charlotte. It's unclear how these two artists linked up for a collaboration, but they don't exactly sound like strangers on "REM." Perhaps there's room for an emo-hip-hop sub-genre, although it's doubtful that n,n's sound will truly resonate with hip-hop heads.
If you do, however, enjoy Lil West's music, you should check this out, if only to hear the rapper stepping out of his comfort zone. The track comes from nothing, nowhere's Reaper album, out now.
Quotable Lyrics
All the things that I do for the fame,
Couple things I regret I could change
I was honest, kept my promise
Now I lost it, could have tossed it
