If radio, television, or hell, even Vogue Magazine are any indication, finding hip hop that pushes the boundaries of what's currently “cool” can sometimes feel like a difficult task. Enter rapper iloveMakonnen, who hails from Atlanta and represents a thriving scene that isn't just way beyond basic, but wholly unafraid to make things weird.
When a stellar slice of hip hop like “I Don’t Sell Molly No More” comes along, it’s like the refresh button has been pushed, several times over. Instead of piggy-backing off whatever trends du jour happen to be making the rounds right now, the track swiftly rejects them. It's possible to take Molly as a metaphor for all that's popular at the moment—including but not limited to anything involving Miley Cyrus—but neither iloveMakonnen, nor producer Caleb Stone (with added help from Gregg Sheran), are really feeling it. Working as Dream Panther, Stone envelops iloveMakonnen's heavy vocals in airy, swirling beats and silky grooves, adding a wonky spin to an already bizarre tale of drugs, reality, and unbridled luxury. Pop culture currency aside, the track is opulent in a way that's timeless.
