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Review: 17-year-old Toronto rapper Lil Berete impresses on his debut mixtape

Rating: NNN


Lil Berete, the current pride of Regent Park, really makes a splash with this debut mixtape. It’s a great sampling of the 17-year-old’s melody-heavy rapping, and its bouncy feel will extend the season for anyone whose tastes lie in modern hip-hop. 

I only add that disclaimer in case the presence of Auto-Tune immediately scares your old ass off: the vibe of the tape is unchanging and features trebly, manipulated and ear-pleasing vocals. The lyrics and flows complement the music but they don’t really go beyond fairly well-worn (admittedly universal) territory – lyrics like “love me like Raymond” don’t really excite my rap brain. Northern trap music has thematic boundaries, but people like Kevin Gates have managed to make their grit and soul stand out and I think Lil Berete can, too. 

The potential here seems vast. The hooky Akon influence that Berete has copped to in interviews is clear, but there’s a youthful and positive feel that feels miles away from Akon’s more plaintive sound, more like a less eccentric Young Thug, whom he also credits as an influence. It will be interesting to see if he sustains the mix of R&B and hip-hop or goes further in one direction.

Lil Berete’s sound is another great example of Toronto’s growth as a hip-hop city that stays current. He draws from contemporary African music – specifically his mother’s homeland of Guinea, but there’s a steady Caribbean feel, as well – and his glossy video for Time Flies was appropriately shot in St. Vincent. Underneath it all is the round-the-way, celebratory identity that many a Toronto rapper has ran with for years. 

He could stand to further personalize his style, but Icebreaker is a great introduction.

Top track: No Love

Lil Berete plays Red Bull Music Festival’s Collision showcase at Ossington Tire (146 Ossington) on October 25. See listing.

music@nowtoronto.com | @theflans

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