Mysterious musical collective 1999 Write The Future is less than two months removed from the release of their debut album hella, but they are already on the move, dropping another quirky new single. “Pump It Up” takes its name from the favored refrain of the jock jams of the ’90s and appropriately, takes heavy inspiration from them, with synthetic laser blaps, echoing bass, and rapid tempo, all supported by energetic raps from Uproxx cover star Rich Brian and TiaCorine.
The amorphous, 88rising-affiliated group, which has never really officially codified its membership, has gained a lot of popularity in a relatively short time thanks to their adherence to an anything-goes policy of musical eclecticism. One of their first singles, October’s “World Stop Turning,” embraced shoe-gazing indie pop, while “Light Rails” from this January, stuck to more straightforward hip-hop, even going so far as recruiting Rick Ross for a chest-beating guest verse. They kept up the trend of recruiting guest rappers on “Slopes,” rapping Migos’ Offset to trade rapid-fire verses with 88rising’s Warren Hue.
That trend continued on hella, which featured appearances from Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, Ghostface Killah, and Smino, while also delving into a diverse array of musical styles, firmly establishing 1999 Write The Future as a team any music fan will want to keep an eye on.
Listen to “Pump It Up” above.
