Radamiz’s new EP is a brief but colourful look into the artist’s aspirations as a rising New York rapper
Radamiz wants more than respect. He wants to live comfortably, he wants to end world hunger and stop the destruction of rainforests. He says all this without skipping a beat on “Brodies, Wodies,” the opening track of his 24-minute EP Synonyms of Strength.
The Brooklyn-born rapper demonstrates across the project just how good he is at rapping. The beats are clearly influenced by the city’s boom-bap history. However, he adds his Dominican twist as he raps the chorus of “Bendiciones” in Spanish, while also denying common Latino stereotypes, like the copying of characters on the Netflix show Narcos, and telling others he doesn’t want them pretending like they sell cocaine.
Synonyms of Strength is a lyrically dense project that focuses on Radamiz’s lyrical ability rather than flashy flows and expensive beats. He raps about peace, acceptance, and the pursuit of happiness, but his messages aren’t preachy to a fault. In fact, they inspire hope rather than make your eyes roll. There’s a positivity that echoes from the 27-year-old rapper’s voice that makes you want to listen over and over to decipher his messages.
At seven songs, Synonyms of Strength also captures the essence of Radamiz’s lyrics by not overcrowding the tracklist with filler and useless features. Instead, he only has two features: AMYRA on “Brodies, Wodies” and Kota the Friend on “Goya.” Their presence doesn’t deter you from Radamiz, but complements his relaxed flows.
Radamiz is on his way to making a masterpiece. The foundation set by Synonyms of Strength proves that the Brooklyn rapper has a high ceiling and could very well spell the future of New York rap, a city that is looking for its claim to the rap throne once again.
Rating: 7.5/10
Trial Track: “Goya”
