Music greats have referenced the phrase, Purple Rain in the past that has captured the zeitgeist of the existing eras and in fact, birthed cultures from this phrase. In 1984, Prince’s award-winning single and album, Purple Rain made it to mainstream and has remained a classic through decades, while Future’s Purple Reign, earned trap music several praises. This month, rappers, Laime and PsychoYP tap into the time transcendent nature of this phrase on the former’s latest, Purple Rain, which though leans more on Future’s interpretation of the phrase, reveals undeniable passion.
Built on a hybrid made from trap and drill, Purple Rain, contrary to its suggestive title, is a tribute to the rappers living legacies, their statuses, and the respect and accolades that accompany their names. Steeped and drawing dramatic effects from the heavy bouncy drums signature to drill music, Purple Rain is as introspective as a hybrid like this can get. It leverages PsychoYP’s ability to spin the wildest stories from ordinary situations and the ease with which Laime broaches even mundane subjects.
The Hip-hop scene in the Nigerian music industry has undergone drastic changes in recent years with the influx of artists like Laime and PsychoYP. Their constant banding together and unfettered approach casts this sect as an impenetrable force, one that both artists can relate to on Purple Rain.