Though Detroit, Michigan is known for creating legends in the world of hip-hop (and music in general), it is also nice to know that the upcoming artists from that part of the globe are continuing that legacy in their own way. Yung Classix, rising producer from D-town and part of the “BLAT! Pack,” is such an artist. After countless beat battles and even a place in the 2010 Red Bull Big Tune Battle, he has released his fourth instrumental album entitled Life On The Grid. The project is a strong offering indeed because it is clear that Yung is setting out to do something many new artists do not: create his own, unique sound.

Starting the project off with “#TheGrid” is a great choice because frankly, this track bangs more than a screen door in a hurricane. The synergy is just there. The snare is not knocking you upside the head, the hi hats are not running around too much; the elements work together in a concise fashion and almost tell a story. Many have called Yung Classix’s style a sort of “tech-hop” and actually, the title is accurate. He incorporates a lot of glitchy slices and sounds into his beats, which help to keep things refreshing. Despite this, some tracks can still seem homogenous.

Some listeners may find themselves wishing for some of the stronger tracks to be longer (such as the opening “#TheGrid” or the closing “#OUT-RO”), while less memorable ones (such as “#NoBass” or “#LIGHTZ”) to be trimmed down. This is bound to happen when an artist has a particular sound that they are going for. The samples are quite eclectic on Life On The Grid though. Lifting everything from JUSTICE and Britney Spears to the old-school Super Nintendo game Chrono Trigger, Yung Classix chooses to utilize a variety of different genres on this project.

While perhaps venturing outside of his comfort zone may have given Life On The Grid more balance, it is clear that Yung Classix is on the forefront of crafting new sounds and styles for hip-hop to be associated with. The further he develops and stretches his style, the sooner he will be a household name. And that is definitely something to be excited about.

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