South Carolina rapper and producer, OsamaSon, is paving the way through the underground rap scene with his iconic and innovative sounds. His new album, psykotic, is his second album this year. Released on October 10th, the album is already demonstrating a spike in listeners on both Spotify and YouTube.

  Pitchfork gave the new album an 8.2 out of 10, claiming that the album was released at the apex of his career. Considering that songs, like “Habits” and “Addicted” are bringing in a plethora of new listeners as of October 14, it would be a shame not to give the new album a listen. 

  If you’re unfamiliar with OsamaSon or the underground scene in general, then it may be helpful to note the key characteristics of OsamaSon’s musical style. Often compared to Ken Carson, Playboi Carti, Future, and Destroy Lonely, OsamaSon’s beats are discombobulating, layered, and experimental. Most of his hits, “Trenches,” “Made Sum Plans,” and “Pop,” contain scratchy pitch correction and heavy vocal processing. 

  Sound Critics have claimed that his pieces steal inspiration from Playboi Carti; this is noticeable when listening to OsamaSon’s song, “What’s Happening”, and comparing it to Carti’s album Whole Lotta Red, but specifically Playboi Carti’s song “Stop Breathing.” However, Carti used Chief Kief’s sounds as the propeller for most of his own debut songs, so is there really much of a hill to stand on when criticizing the cohesive sounds within rap? 

  In correlation to that, Lil O, as his fans call him, and Ken Carson have been exchanging beats from the same producers, like F1lthy, since 2023, demonstrating the correlation that’ll always be seen within the new wave of rap. When I first listened to psykotic, I noticed instantly the parallels between OsamaSon’s new album and Ken Carson’s new album, More Chaos. The similarities of the beats within the intro of Ken Carson’s song “Root Of All Evil” and the intro in OsamaSon’s new song “Addicted” are undeniable. 

  While psykotic shows the development of OsamaSon’s dynamic career, I can’t say it connected with me instantly like his past albums. Jump Out and Flex Music, were albums that, when I first heard them, instantly became the songs I wanted to have on loop all day, but psykotic as a whole, didn’t create those same feelings for me. 

  Kate Ladd, a Junior at Millbrook, expressed a similar feeling as mine when asked about her opinion of the new album: “In OsamaSon’s previous album drops, I liked the songs the first time listening to them, but this time I wasn’t as big of a fan of the new songs.” 

  She went on to express, “I’ve been listening to OsamaSon for 2 to 3 years, and I’ve noticed that he expands on his sounds and style while still using elements from his first albums, like Flex Music.” 

  If you’re an OsamaSon fan, or are interested in attending a local concert, with the debut of his new album, OsamaSon is on the road for his Psykotic Tour. Characterized as crazed, energized, and chaotic, OsamaSon’s tours are known for their intense, yet electrifying mosh pits and crowds. As someone who loves a vibrant concert, I look forward to seeing OsamaSon on November 14th at The Ritz. 

  When talking to Kate Ladd about her anticipated attendance for the show, she said, “I think people stereotype his concerts as very active and even obnoxious, but I think that correlates to his intense style of music. I look forward to hearing “Made Sum Plans” live because when Jump Out dropped, that was the song I listened to the most.” 

  Overall, I can appreciate OsamaSon’s work to find his eccentric identity in the rap world, and I look forward to seeing how his music continues to develop. His ability to branch out and still find success showcases his creativity, while his ability to grow in areas he’s familiar with demonstrates his honest talent.