Listen to ZAYALLCAPS’ “Mine!!”: New Rap Music Today

Different moments from ZAYALLCAPS’ new album Balling Out of Spite have been stuck in my head all morning. On track 3, the way he coos “Bought that Mitsubishi, it’s a Lancer” with a slight stammer; on “Pro Clubz,” when his weird enunciation of “authority” sounds like he’s trying to hold in a burp. “Mine!!” is another early favorite. ZAY, who is based in Los Angeles but reps Northern California, floats in on a beat hazy enough to soundtrack a cartoon dream sequence, with a few popping noises in the background that let you know he’s steeped in The Neptunes. His vocals are pitched up a tick, adding a little sweetness to lyrics about a romantic connection on the rocks. When he sing-raps, “I’ma do better, I’ma make this work/Work!,” the emphatic second “work!” makes it feel like he’s serious.

With artists releasing songs at a fast and furious pace, it’s difficult for the average hip-hop head to keep track of it all—no matter how tapped in they are. That’s why we created The Ones, a daily post to highlight the song you need to hear.

Check out previous Ones, and listen to new rap from ZAYALLCAPS and more on our Spotify playlist.