For Cruch Calhoun, art has always mirrored life.
The New Jersey rapper is completely honest on record, sometimes even ruthlessly so – the truth is what he’s always sought, after all.
New project ‘LOCO 2’ follows two years after its predecessor, a mixtape that helps pin Cruch Calhoun to unrelenting hype.
This new mixtape is marked by growth in both an artistic and personal sense, a 14 track endeavour that touches on themes close to his heart, while also providing a platform for some of the best East Coast talent in the game.
Out now, ‘LOCO 2’ pivots between searing rhymes from Dave East and MillyZ, alongside R&B riser Steven Young and poet Arsheen; on the beats front, go into this expecting work from DerrickOnTheBeat, Triple A, Rich Icy and Ditty Broker.
As he puts it: “This whole project is basically a compilation of key moments since my ‘LOCO 1’ project dropped two years ago. ‘LOCO 2’ is a reflection of my personal growth, as a father, an artist and a man.”
Tune in below, then find an exclusive breakdown for Clash written by Cruch Calhoun.
1. Loco Loco
This song is actually pretty special to me… it’s my introduction and just so happens to be the last track I recorded. There were certain elements I wanted to carry through from a previous song I had written called ‘Mad Cruch’, where I was able to share what I was going through at the time, and the story continues in ‘LOCO 2’.
2. State Greens
I recorded ‘State Greens’ while in the state of mind of living a successful life outside the streets, staying out of trouble, and maintaining good energy around me. The purpose of this track is to keep you motivated to accomplish all that you want.
3. Corner Store
‘We started at the corner store… now its elevator rides to the top floor’ is pretty self-explanatory. Where I come from, the corner store is equivalent to starting from the bottom, and we all aspire to get to the top but it all depends on your hustle. This record stands for just that; you can either stay at the corner store or make your way to owning the corner store.
4. Amazing
This song is me being grateful for all that I’ve accomplished, the people that believe in me – and the ones that don’t. My man Rich Icy sent me this beat, the base and the drumline caught my ear from the jump, and after recording the first line I knew this would have to be on ‘LOCO 2’.
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5. Al Capone ft MillyZ
I recorded this song on my late brother’s birthday, so it’s a mix of all the emotions I feel every year on this day. To me this song is a reminder to stay on my “A” game, regardless of how anyone feels about it as long as you’re happy and bettering yourself or your situation. My guy Millyz loved it, dropped his verse & that’s how Al Capone was made.
6. H.E.R
Those of us that have been in relationships know it comes with ups and downs, so this song is based on personal experiences. It’s a reminder to let things fall into place on their own and there is no need to force what is meant to be.
7. Interlude (Thoughts)
I literally made this song while randomly being in my thoughts, thinking about what I was going through at that precise moment in my life. There was no straightforward concept, so I got in the booth and started saying the first things that came to mind.
8. Last Night In Allentown ft Arsheen
The majority of this project was recorded in Allentown, Pennsylvania. I felt the need to create in a different space, outside of anything familiar so I could give myself a blank canvas. This was the last song I recorded while there on my last night in Allentown. I remember this night… it was raining, and it gave me real creative and thought provoking energy. Arsheen is a poet and friend of mine who is based in Toronto, she sent me one of her many poems and it fit perfectly with the concept for this song.
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9. Converse
This song gave me West Coast vibes, probably because I created it after a recent LA trip. I was in a reflective space and needed to talk about things that were currently happening in my life. My bro DOTB from Virginia produced this record, and as soon as he played it I knew it belonged on ‘LOCO 2’.
10. Problems
I feel like this is one of those timeless records. It doesn’t matter what your background is or where you are in life, everybody has problems— some bigger than others, but everybody in the world can relate. My goal with this song is to remind people we’re not alone, we all got problems.
11. LOCA 2 ft Steven Young
This is the sequel to a track I had called ‘Loca’ that was on ‘LOCO 1’. It’s basically me sharing the type of woman I’m attracted to. The homie Steven Young added his touch to give it that R&B feel. It’s one of my daughter’s favourite songs off the project.
12. Interlude II (Growth)
“I’m just showing you growth”… a continuation to the first interlude, this song is literally me realizing my growth and speaking on handling situations differently than I would have years ago.
13. My Selena
This song is the epitome of the art of storytelling in hip-hop. Any true fan knows that in every great album, storytelling was a mandatory skill. I felt like this NEEDED to be on the project.
14. Never ft Dave East
The concept of this track came from me and East kicking it in the studio talking about things we would never do and things we have done that others never had to. Cuz [Dave East] put on a beat, did his verse then asked me if I had something for it. We locked in and that’s how we came up with ‘Never’.
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‘LOCO 2’ is out now.
