Photo: Lucas Taggart

Thutmose is living it up and it keeps getting better. After serving a string of singles and a wicked debut project, 2018′s Man On Fire, the young Brooklyn-raised rapper is back on the scene with his new EP Don’t Wake Me.

The progressive project tells the story of a man who’s persevered. Born in Nigeria and raised stateside, the “American Dream” was always something on Thutmose’s mind. It motivated him to make such uniquely bold statements within his chosen art form, music. Thutmose spoke further, sharing,

“At a young age, my eyes were always open to the endless possibilities of what this life could become but the grind wasn’t always easy. When I face adversity, I don’t let it define me, I let it inspire me. My dream is to inspire you all, spread positivity and show each one of you out there with a dream that you can go chase it and make it a reality.” 

Wrapped in rose gold silk sheets and accompanied by restful Dobermans on the EP’s cover, Thutmose immediately sets the tone of the project. He’s at peace. This project isn’t an exact replica of the style he took in Man On Fire. Instead, Thutmose has created a set of songs with more vibey and dancehall aspects. He starts off with “Ambience,” a song whose infectious lyrics define a man in love. The track, like most of the album, sees Thutmose infuse Afrobeats into his uptempo take on hip-hop and pop.

“Love in the Morning” sees a feature from Nigerian rapper, Rema, a close collaborator of Thutmose’s. The short track is full of Calypso cadences and cheery claps keeping time throughout. “I Need You” brings the project to a close. It’s a song that celebrates the number one woman in Thutmose’s world. This track is as smooth as the sheets the rapper is lying in and is quite the outro. Overall, Don’t Wake Me brightens Thutmose’s shine. 

Listen to Don’t Wake Me below: