Chris Travis is one of the most consistent rappers in the underground hip-hop scene at the moment, switching up from intense bangers that make your eardrums pop to lovely, sensual serenades that make you contemplate the sensitive side of the Memphis rapper. Chris Travis’ music transcends his funky style of rapping, his undeniable style and intense flow: his music is produced by a solid group of underground artists who hold up Chris Travis’ flow with elusive anime and video game samples with trappy hi-hats, and a druggy, purple flair.

Hidden in the Mist has been one of my favorite projects of Chris’ so far. The mixtape kicks off with a happy, light beat by Big Los, the producer of the legendary “Crunch Time.” “Shining Angel” is a unique way to start out a rap album. It’s slow, but Chris’ singing lingers over the beat with a delicate quality which is sure to woo any of his female listeners. His lyrics give promises of what the ladies get when they fuck with Chris Travis, as he says “I know I make your mind blow/But baby I’m something like dope/ You get enough that you overdose.” Chris Travis has a lovable quality to his singing, a faintness and an ease which makes you want to kick back and smoke a blunt. Chris’ originality in production and verse leads into his hook, which repeats “I’m shining and I’m sparkling.” After the hook ends, an airy piano sample plays with a series of hi-hats and claps as Chris momentarily returns to his more aggressive side, saying “Bitch I been paid, getting gwop won’t be a slave to this lame ass fucking game.” Chris reminds his listeners that he really has stacks, and the girls come because they know he’s got cash flow.

The next song, “Let Me Flex” starts out with more romantic themes, but first, producer Neros Beats includes a majestic, misty sample that leads into a faint police-siren. Chris starts telling a story about the type of girls he fucks with, saying “She pop a Xan and she smoke up, I just wanna pour up, I just wanna slow up/ She said she goes to school, in her city she a loner, baby you can leave with me I love your persona.” Chris departs from normal portrayal of hoes in rap music, saying “Handgun in her purse, no she ain’t takin’ shit/ Bad bitch, she ain’t ratchet, and she lookin’ heaven sent.” This portrayal of women reminds me of Guwop’s: women who are as dangerous as the gangsters they fuck with.

The fourth song, “Misty,” starts out with a smooth, ethereal beat with a muddy vibe. This song is incredibly relaxing, and the beat reminds me of something you might hear in the elevator of an aquarium: slow, inoffensive and aquatic. Chris’ lyrics start out with a beautiful image and a humorous rhyme, saying “I be smoking kush in an all white castle/ fine ass bitch but she give me a hassle.” Chris acknowledges his tenacity for defying the norms of hip-hop as he raps “My music getting weird, and I’m getting weirder/ but I’m still a G so it wouldn’t make a difference” as he layers the verse with the ad-lib “misty… misty… misty.” The whole song reminds me of a night of blunt smoking and syrup sipping, a relaxing night on the couch with the homies. Chris shows his love for Memphis, but he also acknowledges that some people will be jealous of his success as he says “Still bout the city that I’m from, I’m not leaving/ but still I gotta watch fucking back from these demons.” Chris wraps up the song with the same wavy vibe he started out with, saying “Roll another blunt bitch, I don’t give a fuck” as the producer throws in a sample of dirty soda being poured over cold ice.

The next song, “Yellow Diamonds,” comes in hard, the peak of the mixtape. The song features a sample from English R&B group Sade, off the song “Jezebel.” The hook on this song is pretty funny, but it’s melodic qualities make it a hit as Chris says “She got them diamonds on her neck, she got them diamonds on her wrist/ Yellow diamonds in my mouth, like my teeth took as piss.” The songs tempo falls off hard after Chris raps “Just a whole lotta purp,” a clear reference to the legendary DJ Screw and his Chopped and Screwed style.

My favorite song on the album is “Tropical” produced by DJ Smokey, the artist who made the excellent “Evil Wayz.” The song utilizes a cheery woodwind and a bunch of video game samples, most notably from the OST for Donkey Kong Country 2. I get excited every time that I hear that Yoshi drop. Excellent track, it’s quick happy and positive. The hook is so triumphant and catch, I keep singing it over, as Chris repeats “Bitch I’m looking tropical, I feel like I’m unstoppable/ Waterboyz running shit we drowning all obstacles/ Can’t tell me shit bitch, anything is possible.” Smokey’s production is so humorous and nostalgic: all those faint, vaguely familiar video game samples and those trappy drums, simply too good.

The last song “Hidden in the Mist” starts out with a haunting sample from Kodyak which sounds like something ripped out of a samurai movie. The sample actually comes from the song “Another Heart Breaks” by Electric Light Orchestra. I enjoy how Chris starts out the mixtape with a slower, romantic song and finishes with a much more aggressive track. This reminds me of how dynamic Chris’ style is, moving from supple serenades to thumping bass-boomers that define his individuality.

On this tape, Chris Travis presents himself as he is: a lovable weirdo with bars and a undeniable persona. As Chris keeps putting out music, his style evolves with his experience. Although this is one of Chris’ earlier tapes, this mixtape shows the potential that Chris has as a rapper. SeshHollowWaterBoyz, as the independent label they are, is a great platform for Chris to explore his unique style. I look forward to hearing more of Chris’ work!

Hit up Chris at his twitter and soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/christravis

@KenshinTravis

The website and apparel for Waterboyz:

Waterboyzent.com

Follow me on my twitter:

@NSchwassMB