Aside from the recent rerelease of psychedelic hip-hop trio Flatbush Zombies’ 2013 mixtape BetterOffDead and their collaborative effort with Pro Era in 2019’s Escape From New York, the rap trio have primarily focused on their solo careers. Long before their hiatus, Erick the Architect, founding member and resident producer of Flatbush Zombies, had more than a few mixtapes where his production style was front and center.
On “Ezekiel’s Wheel,” Erick’s latest single off his upcoming debut album I’ve Never Been Here Before, out Feb. 23, Parliament-Funkadelic mastermind George Clinton joins him in a wavy fusion including elements of hip-hop and pure funk.
Despite coming from two different eras, Erick and Clinton’s collaboration reveals their musical similarities besides their shared origins in giant collectives. Unlike previous material, Erick, who said, “I’m supposed to be a rapper, but I have very little prototypical rapper shit going on,” shines as a storyteller.
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Perhaps that’s why they gel so well together even though the song was finished long before Clinton was asked to contribute, where Erick’s vivid recount of growing up in Brooklyn in the second verse is guided by Clinton’s narration. Unsurprisingly, the instrumental backs up the wordsmithing, sucking you in like a vortex born from years worth of an evolving production style.
After more than ten years of working as part of Flatbush Zombies and Pro Era, he’s still finding ways to branch out through standout collaborations like Jungle’s “Candle Flame” or his “Ambrosia” single featuring producer Channel Tres. That same forward-thinking approach applies to his flourishing solo career, especially since “Ezekiel’s Wheel” shows he can stack up to legends like Clinton.
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In some ways, it’s fitting his album is called I’ve Never Been Here Before. As someone known primarily as a producer, he has the chance to show he’s a multi-faceted force. “This is the first time that I’m going to be perceived the way that I am, and I know that,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of shit to say, and I’m just tired of being quiet.”
Words: David Sosa
“Ezekiel’s Wheel” by Erick the Architect is out on streaming services. For more on his upcoming album and potential shows, follow him on Instagram.
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