The Michigan area has been producing a profusion of fan-favorite street rappers over the past few years, earning a reputation as a hotbed of underground talent. The Midwestern scene has so far been self-sustaining; rather than worry about external validation or chart hits, rappers like Babyface Ray, Icewear Vezzo, Skilla Baby, and Veeze, among others, have been creating solely for the approval of their immediate peers and the streets adjacent to their Great Lake.
However, despite their idiosyncratic, aloof approach, they’ve been garnering more attention than ever, courtesy of an enthusiastic online support base. One such artist these social media-centric fans have latched onto is Peezy, a Detroit rapper whose laconic delivery is belied by a gift for slick wordplay and smirk-inducing, streetwise observations.
His breakout track, “2 Million Up,” is built over a sample of Dennis Edwards’ “Don’t Look Any Further” — the same song employed as the bassline from Eric B. & Rakim’s seminal 1987 hip-hop classic “Paid In Full” — which infuses a propulsive, motivational vibe to the song, anchored by Peezy’s blurred, almost disinterested flow. Content-wise, the track describes Michigan’s signature subjects — drug deals, shootouts, and styling on haters — with Peezy’s trademark gift for subtly hilarious boasts and threats. “Know them youngins mean business when they in that rental truck,” he cracks, “They gon’ spin ’til they dizzy or the police pick ’em up.”
At 47 million YouTube views and counting, “2 Million Up” is just one of Peezy’s standout singles, which include “No Amiris” with Key Glock, “Fashion Week” with Larry June and Money Man, “Psilocybin” with fellow Detroiter BabyTron, and most recently, “In The Hills.” Each of the above-mentioned tracks hails from Peezy’s newly released album Ghetto, which dropped on October 10 via EMPIRE.
