#FMSpotlight: Sylvan LaCue – ‘Young Sylvan Ep. 2’ (Listen)

Listen: Sylvan LaCue – ‘Young Sylvan Ep. 2‘

Sylvan LaCue has officially dropped the second installment to his project trilogy. Young Sylvan Ep. 2 keeps the momentum up high from the previous album, bundling slick bars with words to live by and an unmatched swagger. 

After delivering his famous, soulful hum, we find LaCue effortlessly dropping witty, well-structured rhymes about his proficiency in rap, biggest desires, past experiences, tenacity, and staying on his P’s and Q’s. It’s as if he never took a brief hiatus! Moreover, he opens up to fans about what once troubled him, all while passing along the best advice he’s received. 

“Whereas YS1 was rapid and abrasive, YS2 slows things down just enough for the listener to pick up patterns and see exactly what this whole thing is about,” LaCue said of the project.

Before the Young Sylvan succession, LaCue dropped Apologies In Advance in 2018, a project that further cemented his position within the music industry. He left his first major mark in the hip-hop game with Searching Sylvan, a project that was notated as one of the best narratives to be told in rap. The project went on to score its flowers from many major outlets, from XXL to Complex. 

After being the opener for Logic‘s tour, the emcee released his critically acclaimed album Far from Familiar, which took his career to new heights. 

Young Sylvan Ep. 1, coupled with Young Sylvan Ep. 2, ultimately shows the competition that his wordplay is incomparable. Like he states in his song, “Bowser In The Sky,” he’s made a return to the royal rumble. Sonically, Young Sylvan Ep. 2 is rooted in trap, yet it takes many forms. With Grandmaster Vic on the violin and other producers’ assistance, the album gains inspiration from genres like jazz, rock, and boom-bap, to name a few. 

Subsequently, this 6-track effort is an enjoyable listen, and each track seemingly blends well. Wholeheartedly, this is the first project in eons that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. If I’m being frank here, LaCue creates a musical niche that’s impossible for other artists to ramble into. 

“Penal Code 182.5 (feat Drakeo The Ruler)” is a piano-led menacing trap offering. Drakeo The Ruler recorded his verse from his solitary confinement holding cell before his release. 

Lyrically, LaCue matches the instrumental’s energy, throwing subtle jabs at haters who thought they caught him slipping. Using a smooth, swift cadence, he also speaks about his upbringing and what he was taught in his younger years. 

“Momma stopped me told me let no one stop me/Papi used to kick the brick like karate/Mami used to chef up eggs & salami/Don’t go outside when niggas pull out with Tommy,” he spits. 

Deeper into his verse, he speaks about remaining cordial, even during moments that test him. But if someone keeps poking the bear, he’s going to “set it off like rev run.” Additionally, LaCue addresses phonies, saying, “they only need you whеn you run out of options.” Before closing off his time on the mic, he also addresses the trouble with our legal system. 

“All neglection manifesting a casket/Rights in shambles privileges out of basket/Solitary free your mind through the havoc.”

Drakeo The Ruler also has a few words for the smack-talkers out there. He drops warning bars, thinking back to times where others spoke too reckless. The artist raps, “He was acting trippy, so I left that nigga Trippie Redd.” As the beat goes on, Drakeo The Ruler talks about the fruits of his labor. Also, he calls out the individuals who switched up on him during his time behind bars. 

“Hold me down lies they praying that I drown in it/They screaming free Drakeo only on the pound nigga, what’s the difference?“

Despite feeling that no one was on his side, Drakeo The Ruler will continue to carry weight and be donned as a legend in the hip-hop culture. 

LaCue will be dropping music videos for his song’s “Peter Pan” and “P S 2,” on April 5th and 19th, respectively, both of which feature rising LA-based Nigerian violinist Grandmaster Vic. Until then, make sure to bump Young Sylvan Ep. 1 and Young Sylvan Ep. 2. 

Listen to Sylvan LaCue’s project Young Sylvan Ep. 2 below:

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