A raw storyteller spitting pain-driven melodies through mellowed flows, Rylo Rodriguez has quickly established himself as a star of the south. Keeping up his knack for making his individual experiences strike a universal cord with listeners, the 4PF signee shares his latest video single, “Basketball Numbers.” Rhyming over acoustic guitar riffs that radiate a yearning sense of acceptance, Rylo reminisces over a close friend who was handed down a harsh sentence from an unjust system, and how he vows to look out for them and their families through hard times: “They gave him basketball numbers, he took a blind plea/I’m tryna get his lawyer for him, take care of his daughter for him.”
The video for “Basketball Numbers” opens with Rylo shooting hoops in an open gym in a vintage Allen Iverson jersey, interspersed with shots of his friend in a tense meeting with authorities. As the video progresses, Rylo can be seen wearing the same orange jumpsuit as his incarcerated associate, symbolizing his empathetic approach to music; putting himself in the shoes of his subjects as he speaks about their experiences. Released over the weekend, the video already racked up over 500k views and reached YouTube’s Top 20 Trending for music, where it currently sits at #11.
Since delivering his 2020 debut LP, G.I.H.F. (Goat In Human Form), a 17-track effort with appearances from Lil Baby, Moneybagg Yo, 42 Dugg, and Yo Gotti, Rylo has demonstrated a rare ability to mold soulful street narratives about life in Mobile into heavy-hearted raps that speak to a universal struggle. That rare ability not only endeared him to Lil Baby who signed him to his 4PF imprint, but has since led artists like Kodak Black, Nardo Wick, EST Gee, OMB Peezy, and many more, to enlist Rylo’s signature style for their own music.
Stay tuned for more from Rylo Rodriguez as the summer progresses.
© 2022, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
