Representing Oakland by way of Portland, rapper and producer TOPE has returned to drop off his latest full-length project SOME THINGS GOTTA CHANGE.
Arriving in 7 tracks total, the project features production from the likes of Stewart Villain, Farnell Newton, Zach Striar, and some self-produced cuts.
The project works as the best of both worlds as TOPE takes the opportunity to highlight his adaptation to life in Cali while reflecting on the road he took to get there.
“A lot of my inspiration for SOME THINGS GOTTA CHANGE was my move from Portland down to the Bay, and then from the Bay down to LA,” TOPE tells us about the new arrival. “It was a real test for me as an artist and as a person. I had to do some self-inventory and see what was working for me and what wasn't.”
“STGC is like shedding my final layer before I really begin to come into my own musically. The last two years I've taken a lot of time to study my craft again and get better as a musician and I think this project is a stepping stone from my old sound with BROKE BOY SYNDROME and TROUBLE MAN and more into a new TOPE.”
Tracks like “How I know,” “The Man,” and “Glo’d Up” deliver on the signature sound TOPE has developed for himself, capitalizing on good vibes to create feel-good anthems, while “Trying to Forget,” “Better Place,” and “Thank You” put his maturation at the forefront.
“The title was influenced a lot by my life and how almost every single relationship in my life has changed in the last two years,” he explains. “When you're going through change sometimes you don't even realize or know that it's going to be good for you until you make it through. For me transitioning these last few years from a local artist to having my hand scenes like Seattle, LA, The Bay, Atlanta was a challenge but it strengthened me as an artist, as a producer, and as a person.”
