Live Review: PREMIERE: Raj Mahal taps Dante Knows for new banger, 'Racks'

Eora/Sydney via Boston rapper Raj Mahal is one of our favourite names in Australian rap music. Over the years, his release schedule has been prolific, releasing countless banger singles, EPs all while steadily establishing himself as a stalwart of Sydney's underground rap scene. Most recently, he released 11 track mixtape, RAW DAWG, a lesson in raw, personal and hardcore rap music. What featured is blown out 808s, reasserting bars and a sense of rediscovery of Mahal's power as an MC. Now he turns to a new era of music, one that stays within his original, infectious and adored blown out sound, with a new refined quality. We are premiering his newest single, 'RACKS' with frequent collaborator Dante Knows exclusively here today, before it's official release tomorrow, (17th September).

'Racks' leaves nothing behind. The banging, distorted blown out 808s acts as speaker dust cleaners, as they give the track its pulse and beating heart. Its muted, repetitive vocal sets the perfect platform for both artists to rap clever verses, ones rooted in bombastic confidence, sporadic energy and an overall infectious energy.

“Racks is just us talking shit and having fun. We made it during the first lockdown so we definitely didn’t have any racks but it was just the mentality we had once the track was being made. Kind of like having foresight for what’s to come in our future,”  Raj Mahal said of the release. Dante Knows reflects this sentiment, stating, "Racks is another reminder that nothing is holding us back. Another West Indian mash-up for the Australian airways."

Image via Jordan Munns

Words by PARRY TRITSINIOTIS

LISTEN TO NEW MUSIC HERE

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DANTE KNOWS AND SECRET B CHAT THEIR COLLABORATION WITH TASKER, ‘CAUTION’