Written By: Jacob Wisda
The places we come from can inspire a mix of heartfelt nostalgia and remorse. And on Slatt Zy’s newest album, East Lake Projects, the 18-year-old rapper shores up a cocktail of crushing pain and elated success that even seasoned listeners will find powerful. Inspired by his youth in a housing development sharing the album’s name, Slatt says:
East Lake Projects is where I became a man. It was tough to value life there, and getting over that made me a man. To me it’s more than projects - it’s my family, and we got through together. 17 people in 2 rooms, 12 people sleeping on one floor – granny, 11 siblings, auntie. We been through struggles together. We been through everything -shoot outs, hungriness, shoeless, people dying. East Lake Projects is where all my problems came from and made me grown early, but my happy times came from there too. I couldn’t imagine any other way to be. The projects may have given me scars and bruises, but also motivated me to be the nigga I am today.
East Lake Projects renders these scars clear to see. But Slatt’s astounding melodies balance out even the album’s most vulnerable moments. For an introduction to East Lake Projects, check out the music video for First Year, featuring Pooh Shiesty, down below. Listeners can also connect with Slatt on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
#SlattZY #EastLakeProjects #PoohShiesty #EsdrasTThelusma