Song You Need: DaBoii and Drakeo The Ruler display bittersweet chemistry on “The Deal”

thefader.com:

The FADER's "Songs You Need" are the tracks we can't stop playing. Check back every day for new music and follow along on our Spotify playlist.

The tragedy of Drakeo The Ruler's murder last December is still fresh, and revisiting his old material tears the scab open anew.

Before his passing, the 26-year-old was angling for a breakout moment with tracks featuring pop-rappers like Drake ("Talk To Me") and 24kGoldn ("Spaceship.") The latter track is an especially intriguing listen for how Drakeo refuses to compromise his low-lidded, threatening mumble for the song's sunny vibe.

You get a sense of how unlikely Drakeo's jump to the pop charts would have been, but if anyone could have made it happen without selling his soul, it would have been Drakeo.