Hailing from the prominent musical cityscapes of New Orleans, powerhouse Artist/Producer Allen B began his journey into the industry thirteen years ago as a producer and subsequently also hopped on the Independent Artist train these last four years; solidifying his place as an original creator as well as performer in today’s artist realm with an above-average drive. Since his emergence into the scene, Allen B has made some serious strides solely off of his work ethics as well as talent and charismatic presence. Known for his distinctively innovative and futuristic style, Allen has been diligently shaping his Hip Hop signature sound in a way that captures fans from old school Hip Hop eras as well as today’s more modern Rap sensibility combined with crucial elements of EDM and electronic music flavors. His self-produced debut EP ‘Gypsy King’ is direct evidence of this and really brings his versatile style right to the forefront – serving up a record that delivers packed punches and a strong impression upon first listen, no matter which era of Hip Hop you come from.
Opening track “Ai Technology” has an atmospheric and futuristic aura that serves up catchy vocal melodies, a rhythmic flow and a beat structure that really sets the tone for Allen B’s innovative textures. The synth-infused track has a multi layered approach with excellent vocal structures that sway between melody, rhythm and cleverly crafted bars. This track is a very strong opener that will definitely grab your undivided attention. Follow up track “Road Rage” has a crafty bongo-and-tom beat with a visceral vocal flow that is reminiscent of superstars like OutKast and others of a similar calibre. But once again, Allen’s raw originality and multifaceted approach is undoubtedly present throughout every measure – which again delivers a strong, catchy vocal melody that will comfortably get stuck in your head even long after it’s over.
One more notable track on this EP is “Zena’s Moon”, a cannabis anthem with its own rhythmic flavors topped with Allen B’s signature charismatic vocal delivery that makes every song on this EP a standout in their own right. If you love industry heavyweights like Method Man/Red Man, Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill and Kottonmouth Kings, then this banger is definitely gonna be one of your favorites. We again have a brilliantly structured beat with next level ambience and atmosphere – showcasing Allen B’s futuristic style in another crucial angle and spotlight overall. This themed track delves into a very well-known concept, but delivers the goods in an original way that truly makes it a whole different listening experience. First time listeners of Allen B’s music will be thoroughly impressed with this song – whether they love the ganja or not.
Overall, ‘Gypsy King’ is a brilliant showcasing of Allen B’s ability as an independent artist and truly comes out swinging from the very first track. The production value is high in its regard and gives the record a perfect pacing level that touches on many innovative layers. His use of instruments is very versatile and dynamically gifted – drawing highlights to many factors including mixing, transitions and drum structures; serving up a vast array of beats with different rhythmic textures. Allen B’s attentiveness to detail is very apparent and you can easily tell that he put some blood, sweat and tears in making this debut EP – which should earn your respect in and of itself. ‘Gypsy King’ is currently available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and several other digital music streaming platforms. This is definitely a must-hear record for 2021.