In his Lil Berete Euro Step EP review, Josh Habtwold looks at the new sounds and styles the Regent Park rapper explores on the project.
Toronto rapper Lil Berete started 2023 off right with the recent release of his three-song EP, EURO STEP. This EP includes collaborations with blazing hot UK acts like Nafe Smallz and Not3s. The Regent Park rapper dedicated this project to the people that he loves and cares about, as well as to the cultures and genres that molded him into the person he is today, ranging from Afrobeats/Reggae to melodic rap.
On I C Y, Lil Berete speaks more about his daily lifestyle through a guitar-loop beat and his melodic and harmonic vocals in the chorus. The second verse follows very smoothly and it matches his soft flow, cadence, and vocals. In a sense, it brought some sort of uniqueness to this song and it finishes off with Luton, UK singer-songwriter and rapper Nafe Smallz serenading the song wonderfully as his flow and wordplay on certain lines make it relaxing and soothing to the listener.
On For You, this piano-infused Afrobeat track showcases Lil Berete’s infectious melodies and harmony through his vocals as he speaks more about his lifestyle and taking chances for his people that he loves and respects, as well as dealing with women. What makes the song more unique is the clever riddim through the drum patterns and layered echo tones in the chorus. London rapper Not3s slid through on the track very well and his flow, wordplay, and swagger make it a vibe to listen to.
Think Bout You is Lil Berete’s stand-out track on this EP as he experiments with a new sound. He does this with his lyrics and changes in his delivery such as dragging his vocals and syllables in his rhyme pattern, using auto-tune more creatively with his soothing vocals, and emphasizing his cadences and the speed of the flow. In terms of subject matter, this acoustic guitar-based song featuring Toronto-based rock bank Harm & Ease details more about the lifestyle that he deals with, such as dealing with the issues in his environment, losing loved ones, his mental health, his love and care for his loved ones and much more.
The song is an emotionally vulnerable track to listen to as the emotion and pain in his vocals are relatable through his mentions of taking losses and being a product of his environment. It has more of a blues influence, in terms of his vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation. He also dropped a new music video, shot by 88 Everything. True to the song’s lyrics, the video is full of dark shadows as we see Berete and his guitarist in an empty dark room.
Lil Berete’s brand-new EP, EURO STEP, is available on all streaming platforms.
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