West London rap icon in the making Zush showcased a luminary on the cusp of great acclaim by unleashing his high-octane hit, Playing for Keeps, which flavours UK drill with a Caribbean kick while exhibiting his ability to hold his own against the charisma of Stormzy and Dave.
By bringing cultural flavour into the dark and ensnaring atmospheric Drill tones, the depth of the track is enhanced to the nth degree; from the first beat you are immersed in an adrenalizing aural visualisation of his infectiously visceral sonic signature.
After the success of his seminal single, We Got the Sauce, which saw his talent recognised by Pulse 88, Itch FM, GRM Daily, UGM, The Beat London, Westside FM, Bound 2 Blow and many more, Playing for Keeps is an impossible-to-ignore statement of intent from an artist who exhibits his determination in every facet of his captivating expression.
By honing his talents from a young age as a high school beat-maker, DJ in a rap group and percussionist in a steel band, Zush was primed to make an unforgettable entry into the domain of UK rap. The influence of hip-hop legends like Nas, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot, and Pharrell, coupled with the Caribbean beats from his upbringing, is evident in Playing for Keeps, which fuses his reverence for sharp flows with his affinity towards his Caribbean roots, which pull through when he asserts his Caribbean accent in the chorus as a juxtaposition of the drill bars which exhibit his command of flow and cadence.
Playing for Keeps dropped on the 30th of November; stream it on Spotify and never miss another seminal release from Zush by following him on Instagram.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
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