It’s hard to believe how sweeping the Atlanta hip-hop scene is. The trap capital is also home to hyper-lyrical wordsmiths like EARTHGANG and positive melodists like Troop Brand. The latter is a key point of interest in a modern scene high on artistic knacks for transcendentalism. Troop Brand is a brand all is own, and his debut album, Carpe Diem is nothing short of proof that he’s seizing every opportunity coming his way. Unrefined as a debut should be from an artist whose stylistic range is as broad as his, Carpe Diem is a wavering – yet hinged – glimpse into his skillset. Toned down acoustic soul tracks float seamlessly from high-energy party anthems. Quick cadences bleed into warm, polished vocals. Poetic lyricism is omnipresent. And ‘neath the umbrella of his range exist an opening for any feature to fit into the picture seamlessly. Cherry Trees featuring Kota the Friend, Wave featuring Just John and Eli Lefty, and Melting with Pell and Ayomari are the most notable in that regard. 

 

But, if any standout track is most telling of Troop Brand’s overarching, nearly unexplored talent pool, it’s Poison. A silky R&B track exploding with a sultry falsetto leaves the door open for his future work to take any direction it wants without a misstep. And that, from a debut project, is a magical identity to hold. 

 

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