Rio Westside and Cello Miles team up with producer King Hazel for their collaborative project Vertigo, an eight track mixtape that combines vibrant, diverse production with meaningful lyrical content; a value the three artists hold very dearly.
“Your music can be BOTH enjoyable and insightful. As a group we bring substance and ratchetness that has defined our lives. We also bring positive vibes along with giving people game about life,” they explained.
This is best illustrated in songs like “Whitney,” which begins with a skit where a father scolds his son for smoking crack. However, lyrics and skit removed, the song’s sparse percussion and guitar riffs give off a summery vibe that still packs a punch.
All three artists grew up in different parts of California, Rio and Cello in Antioch and King Hazel in Sacramento. The two rappers have been performing together since they were teenagers but have only been putting out music for the past few years. Hazel also started making music in his teens and is described as “a baby Metro Boomin with expansive layers on his beats.”
As all Cali kids in the 90s did, all three artists grew up on the hyphy sound, popularized by rappers like E-40, Too Short and Mac Dre. However, they also made sure to surround themselves with a variety of genres and styles.
“…we liked all genres and artists of music. From Tame Impala to Future to The Weeknd and early 2000’s and 90’s neo-soul and R&B. So our environment shaped our ear for great music and continues to expand our genres,” they explained.
These diverse influences inspired them to focus on shedding a light on a more creative sound for the Bay area past hyphy inspired drum lines and party music.
“Yeah we get that we can make the party music but no one is stepping up their sound and lyrics better than us. Once we stopped doubting ourselves and improving our skills, we realized we just needed to keep moving forward and progressing,” they said.
Check out Vertigo below!
