When Adamn Killa’s Back To Ballin mixtape dropped last Thursday, I sent it to a friend who I send new hip-hop to so he doesn’t have to prowl the internet for it like I enjoy doing. He said “who’s this?” I said “ADAMN!” He said “what’s it sound like?” I couldn’t give him an honest answer.
Chicago’s Adamn Killa isn’t like any other Chicago rapper you can find. He flows with a mostly drill style, but that’s pretty much where his Chicago influence ends. With his drill flow, he mixes Lil B type one liners (Adamn for president like I’m Richard Nixon/ Niggas do this shit for the recognition) with cutting edge production to create something distinct and original.
On Back To Ballin, Adamn taps longtime collaborator Blank Body for two of the mixtapes best songs in “Back To Ballin Intro” and “Adamn Superstar.” The production is strong, with Blank Body flexing his skills enough to where Adamn can rap easily over the hard hitting beats. On “Shawn Kemp”, produced by Sky, Adamn lets off some of his most comical bars to date (Niggas say they cashin/ They jeans be from Target).
Back To Ballin is a strong showing for Adamn, who most recently toured with Yung Lean (a past collaborator.) His internet aesthetic mixed with his Chicago influences blend nicely to create something fresh and intriguing. Adamn is more than a dude with pink dreads and a pink face tat, dressed up in Gucci flip flops and a Moncler coat; he’s one of Chicago’s most interesting budding rap artists.
