EBK Young Joc, the Stockton, CA rapper defining the newest sound of West Coast hip-hop, has just shared a new video single “Two One” (feat. Young Slo-Be, EBK PayWes, & EBK Durkio) from his forthcoming album HotBoiiz: 4L, out 3/10. On “Two One”, Joc calls on some familiar faces: he’s joined by chosen family EBK PayWes and EBK Durkio, as well as fallen friend Young Slo-Be, who was tragically killed last year. This release is particularly sentimental, as it marks the final collaboration between EBK Young Joc and Young Slo-Be. On “Two One” (feat. Young Slo-Be, EBK PayWes, & EBK Durkio), Joc is self-assured, casually exchanging crisp, unhurried bars over plucked strings, flittering flutes, and cracking cowbells. The single precedes EBK Young Joc’s upcoming album HotBoiiz: 4L––his most expansive, impassioned project to date, intended to honor the legacy of Young Slo-Be and other lost loved ones, including Joc’s older brother Mobbalay and close friend and collaborator Bris. Ahead of the album’s forthcoming release, Joc has released the well-received singles “Prada Steppin” (feat. Big Sad 1900) and “24/7”. On HotBoiiz: 4L, Joc’s tone is at once reflective and conversational, and his gruff, matter-of-fact flow cuts through brawny, reverberating 808s with ease.
With the release of his debut mixtape 21 Jump Street in 2019, EBK Young Joc solidified himself in the Northern California rap scene as one of the region’s most promising stars. He then followed up in 2020 with The Fresh Prince of Belair, marking his clear-cut ascension and by the end of 2021, Joc was widely recognized as a frontrunner in his scene. He released two projects in 2021, Forever 21 and Nightingale Legend, with the latter being described by SPIN as, “a refinement of all that’s made him a luminary in Stockton’s continued rap renaissance”. In May of 2022, Joc released his project City Of God, an impressive showing of the craftsmanship and finesse that have made EBK Young Joc the fresh-faced star of Stockton.
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