Wilhelm Duke releases debut project “The Robber Baron”. An old school boom bap record reminiscent of the golden era of hip hop. The 7 track record is entirely produced by Orlando Coolridge of SlumpGang777. The project is recorded, mixed, and mastered by RhymSter of Ever Evolved.
https://soundcloud.com/wilhelmduke/sets/the-robber-baron
Thoughts on the project
1. Sistine Chapel: We get right into it. There was no hesitation for Wilhelm to start spitting. It had an upbeat style with relevant references.
2. The League: Again, no hesitation on the intro. I get even more of the old school boom bap on this track. Wilhelm Duke is def with the old school style and I love it. I liked the flow and delivery from both artists on this track.
3. Free PPL: He speaks on capitalism and getting money and wealth. I liked the message behind this song and how he was speaking to a girl at different points.
4. Gilded Hilt: Stick out line on this one is “A focused mind will never die.” I really liked that line. This song expressed how we need to expand our horizons including our mind. You have to listen to your heart.
5. By Design: Shots fired off bat. I agree though, these new rappers don’t respect the OGs or the game. He also talks about how fucked this life is and one my fav “conspiracies.”
6. Spirit of the 90s: Throwback to the best of times. It’s like taking a ride through a time machine. He is from my time period for sure. It resonates even more from the Chicago only references. This track is so fun and probably my favorite, feels like home.
7. Forever: Oh this track is funky. I had a hard time keeping up because of the delivery but when I could follow along it was great. This one I just had to sit back and enjoy. It was awesome and made me a fan for sure.
Overall, this was a well put together project and I really enjoyed it. It was a nice change to everything we see in the mainstream media. He definitely took me on a trip down memory lane with the references, beat and overall flow. It was not what I expected but I’m glad this project came across my desk.
About Wilhelm Duke
Wilhelm Duke is a Chicago based rapper, writer, and event curator. With roots and origins in Nebraska and Sweden. Duke moved to Chicago in 2012 to pursue a music business degree and break into the recording industry. He spent 5 years playing many shows and events as one half of the rap duo, Bombay Boyz. He also spent the last year writing articles and curating events for the Chicago collective and platform, Ever Evolved.
Wilhelm Duke on IG: @wilhelmduke https://www.instagram.com/wilhelmduke/
Twitter: @wilhelmduke7 https://twitter.com/wilhelmduke7
SoundCloud: wilhelmduke https://soundcloud.com/wilhelmduke
YouTube: Wilhelm Duke https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTYo3m8PIrvZzNaJUaSrBlQ?view_as=subscriber
Want More?
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