When I first heard Houston’s NeedNoName, I thought he sounded like Diet Veeze. To be fair, I still believe that. But there are much worse things than being a B-version of the guy who made Ganger. It helps that he’s got a sharp ear for laidback beats to go with his rush of slurred punchlines. On “Late September,” the beat feels like you’re at a debutante ball where everyone is drinking out of styrofoam cups, and NeedNoName’s bars have some zip to them (even if Veeze’s would be funnier). I like “Late September” a lot, and it doesn’t hurt that there’s a slick guest verse from SME Taxfree, the Milwaukee star who is on a hell of a mixtape run right now. Now that’s a rapper who won’t have you daydreaming about anyone else.
With artists releasing songs at a fast and furious pace, it’s difficult for the average hip-hop head to keep track of it all—no matter how tapped in they are. That’s why we created The Ones, a daily post to highlight the song you need to hear.
Check out previous Ones, and listen to new rap from NeedNoName and more on our Spotify playlist.
