In 2020, Long Beach, California native KXNG CROOKED — aka Crooked I — added to his impressive collection of collaborations with appearances on both Eminem’s Music To Be Murdered By and fellow former Slaughterhouse member Royce Da 5’9′”s The Allegory, as well as appearing on New Jersey newcomer Russ’s Chomp EP and collaborating on a joint project with another erstwhile Slaughterhouse partner, Joell Ortiz. In 2021, he shows no sign of stopping, delivering a lyrical assist and his weighty cosign to up-and-coming California rapper RANNA ROYCE on their song “WORDPLAY.”
The IZZY-directed video, which they’re premiering exclusively on Uproxx after spending the last two months promoting it on social media, finds the two motormouthed MCs literally playing with words, opening on a shot of children’s letter blocks and flashing the lyrics across the scene as they rip through their energetic performances. RANNA kicks the track off with a cascading flow, letting Crook bring it home with a barreling barrage of boastful bars.
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Crook shared high praise for his latest collaborator, saying, “I like working with RANNA because she is very passionate about her art. That’s very important to me. I believe she’s more than a star; she’s a true artist in every sense of the word. It’s rare to find a talented lyricist who is hands-on with every aspect of creating music, videos, and the message behind branding. I expect big things from her in the near future. Now go watch our video for ‘WORDPLAY’ and tell me I’m wrong!”
Watch RANNA’s “WORDPLAY” video featuring KXNG CROOKED above.