As anyone who has spent considerable time skimming through the underbelly of SoundCloud or Bandcamp can tell you, Atlanta is filthy with rappers. They’re everywhere, representing every conceivable background, writing bars about every conceivable subject, and functioning at every conceivable skill level. But hip-hop collectives are a much rarer breed. While most rappers prefer to fly solo, there are a few that would rather combine forces and use their complimentary talents to build something more dynamic.
ILLECTRIC GOLD is an up-and-coming hip-hop crew comprised of producer Dallas Winston and rappers Beardless, WE$O, and Pharaoh of Darrow. Beardless and Pharoah are currently based out of Chicago, but both spend a lot of time in Atlanta, where ILLECTRIC GOLD records all their work. This includes the squad’s new video for the Beardless banger “Wake(tf) Up,” taken from the
MC’s latest LP, Dark Walk.
The clip was shot by Alex Smith at the Pullman Train Yard in Kirkwood, which provides an appropriate backdrop for Beardless’ grimy and visceral flow. Smith, whose resume includes work for the likes of T.I., B.O.B., and Steve Aoki, keeps the visuals slick (check out that opening drone shot) without sacrificing the rawness and sense of fuck-the-world camaraderie that ILLECTRIC GOLD bring as a unit. It took me a couple of plays to unravel Beardless’ cadence and to work through his rhyme schemes, but his voice, gruff and gritty, pulled me in instantly. Production-wise, “Wake(tf) Up” probably has more in common with East Coast boom bap, but the attitude feels distinctly Southern. This is definitely a group to keep an eye on.
More Info
Facebook: @illectricgold
Instagram: @illectricgold
SoundCloud: @illectric-gold
YouTube: @illectricgold