Rapper Rich Brian bound for success with new release, “Amen”

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Preston Hooker, Staff Writer

18-year-old Indonesian-born rapper Brian Imanuel, known better known under alias Rich Brian, made history when he released his debut project, “Amen,” on Feb. 2. The album reached No. 1 on the iTunes Hip-Hop chart, making Imanuel the first Asian artist to ever achieve such an accomplishment. Imanuel produced every song on the album, which allowed him to showcase his rapping and singing abilities to the fullest extent, making “Amen” a success.

Imanuel rose to fame at the young age of 16 when he released his first song “Dat $tick,” which caught listeners attention because of the astonishingly deep vocals and provocative lyrics that were coming from such a young artist. He went on to release several songs, including three singles for “Amen:” “Chaos,” “See Me” and “Glow Like Dat.” These singles built a lot of hype for the album because they showed Brian’s ability to rap and sing.

“Amen” has 14 tracks which include features from rap group Migos member Offset and label mates Joji, NIKI and AUGUST 08. Every song on the album was either produced or co-produced by Imanuel himself, which is impressive for someone of such a young age.

Imanuel showcases his diverse musical ability throughout “Amen” with fast-paced, bass-heavy tracks such as “Attention” and “Chaos,” and more melodic tracks such as “Little Prince,” where he showcases his singing and ability to create diverse songs.

Lyrically, the album is lacking compared to prominent rappers that are known for their lyricism such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole or Eminem. Imanuel, on the other hand, is known for his ability to deliver a catchy flow or melody over a good beat, which he successfully did on “Amen,” which featured production that he tailored to his own ability.

Standout songs from the album include “Glow Like Dat,” where Imanuel reminisces about a past relationship, “See Me,” in which he talks about eclipsing his competition at such a young age and “Introvert”, during which Imanuel discusses the loneliness of living the life of fameand the internal struggles that come with it.

Overall, “Amen” was an enjoyable listen, and it is very impressive considering it was Imanuel’s first full-length album. While it will probably fly under the radar, music listeners who are fans of any genre would most likely be pleasantly surprised if they sat down and gave this album a chance.