Atlanta-bred rapper Kenny Mason has been rolling with momentum as of late; his feature on the Dreamville collaboration “Stick” alongside J. Cole, JID, and Sheck Wes marked one of Kenny’s first leaps toward the mainstream’s view. The “Stick” visual has already racked up over 3 million views and Kenny’s been seen performing alongside the rest of the artists in front of massive festival crowds such as JID’s Coachella set and J. Cole’s Governor’s Ball set.
Following the ‘Angelic Hoodrat’ series, Kenny’s back in 2022 ready to offer fans and new listeners a taste of what to expect on his next full-length effort. Kenny has been working on new ways to cultivate his elevation and a mixtape in the form of RUFFS is his latest step toward elevation.
Kenny Mason is able to perfectly blend both hip-hop and rock-influenced genres throughout RUFFS. The wide variety of vibes presented throughout the 46 minutes of this mixtape ensures a bright future for the young artist. I can guarantee that the majority of this project translates perfectly to a live setting; you can bet that I’ll be at Kenny’s next Chicago performance to see how well he’s able to command a crowd through his braggadocious sound.
This project really doesn’t feel like a mixtape, Kenny Mason has such a refined and confident sound that I feel as though this mixtape could stand tall next to a lot of current rapper’s featured full-lengths. Shoutout Kenny for keeping it fresh, I love discovering new artists that make an effort to stand-out among all of the noise of today’s music industry.
I truly believe that any fan of music can find a track on this project that they’ll really enjoy. He undoubtedly pushes the boundaries of rap throughout RUFFS and he’s accomplished this task in an undeniable fashion.
Personally, I thoroughly enjoy “HALLOWEEN”, “DIP!” (feat. DavidTheTragic!), “DOUBLE UP”, and “SPIN N FLIP” (feat. Young Nudy).
Stream RUFFS below!
