Over the past few years, San Jose-born rapper Snow tha Product has become an internet darling for her rapid-fire delivery and insightful lyrics. Fresh off the heels of an arc on Queen of the South, USA’s English-language spin on La Reina del Sur – the artist born Claudia Feliciano is bringing it back to her rapping roots while adding a few newer wrinkles into her game.
Just last week she released Vibe Higher, a 12-track project that showcases her ability as a songwriter beyond the lyrical prowess usually on display in her cyphers and freestyle sessions.
“Ride” might be the mixtape’s smoothest offering, a nostalgic look at late-night rides through the city with a lover. “Hit you up like ‘come ‘round back’/’cause I got my parents home, waitin’ on, where I go” is sure to bring many back to a time when overprotective, dutiful parents were still trying to police teenage behavior.
Following “Ride” is “Right Now,” a mid-tempo homage to sex without labels. Featuring frequent collaborator and labelmate Castro Escobar, “Right Now” explores a path often traveled by the figureheads of “situationship” R&B – Kehlani and Bryson Tiller, to name a few. Still, Snow’s range as an artist shines on a hook which finds her singing more than her fans might be accustomed to seeing from an artist known to trades verses with Tech N9ne and CyHi the Prince.
Back in 2014, Snow’s determined grind and double-time, bilingual flow helped bring her to the mainstream rap world after she spit bars in a BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher alongside David Banner and Vic Mensa. Three years later and she’s a proven draw at concert venues around the country, a bankable YouTube star and a convincing drug trafficker as Lil Traviesa on Queen of the South.
As 2017 speeds to a close, Vibe Higher feels like a foundation for the next juncture of her career, one which presumably involves more screen time and a larger emphasis on crafting a chart-topping sound of her own. Stream it above.
Update, 10/11/2017: Snow tha Product’s reps have informed Remezcla that the Vibe Higher mixtape will drop in full later this week.