It’s been a minute since our favorite jet-setting MC Speak! broke us off with some new sounds, so we were jazzed to hear that the Cali representer and current D.F. resident was back with some heat. Teaming up for a new collaborative project with the Belizean producer Dream Panther, which is appropriately titled SPEAKPANTHER, the rapper is teasing the first of the set with a new single called “Lagunilla,” premiering here today on Remezcla. Over a minimalistic beat driven by psych guitar twangs and celestial synths, Speak! weaves a tale about a Sunday trip to the famed Mexico City tianguis that turns lit. Whether it’s battling the faux-bougie (“Girl, we ain’t in Cabo, why you acting like a tourist?”) or acknowledging the tokenization of Latinos’ cultural contributions (“No, they can’t support us, but exploit us when convenient”), Speak! delivers bars with his patented witty delivery and wordplay.
Of SPEAKPANTHER, Speak! says it’s “a mix of rhythms, sounds, and ideas that represent my experience on both sides of the border.” He adds, “This project is definitely the most personal thing I’ve made and can’t wait to share it.”
Be on the lookout for SPEAKPANTHER, which is set to drop February 24.