Indie sensation Kota the Friend shares his new album, Lyrics to GO, Vol. 5, out now via FLTBYS Music and Entertainment LLC & Venice Music.
For his first full-length project of 2024, Kota bookends a prominent chapter of his career. Previous Lyrics to GO releases have captivated fans, leaving an indelible mark on the industry in a way that few artists do.
“‘Lyrics to GO Vol. 5’ is such an important project because it’s like the last stop on a long journey,” says Kota. “It’s about things that money can’t buy. It’s about finding joy and peace within yourself so that no matter what happens in the external world you will always be able to create joy.”
The new album opens with a heavy dose of meticulously layered instrumentation from Hit-Boy, who produced both tracks “Beijing” and “TULUM.” From there, the rest of Vol. 5 plays out like a trip down memory lane. Kota’s recurring proclivity to include locations in song titles remains intact, evidenced by tracks like “MILAN,” “YUMA,” “OREGON” and “VIETNAM.” He embraces vulnerability and emotional depth in his music – and his new album is a processing of times and places, observed and felt.
A compelling and astute storyteller, Kota’s arrival as a true artistic force became clear at the tail end of 2016 with the release of his first music video with subtitles, the groundbreaking “Lyrics TO GO, Vol.1.”
Kota adds, “Lyrics to GO began as a video series. I would write a verse to a popular beat and the video would always be me standing completely still staring dead into the camera. Then I would add the yellow subtitles at the bottom to emphasize the lyrics. I did this because I couldn’t afford traditional music videos and I figured it was a cool way to create consistent content. It was important because I knew that my lyrical ability was my best attribute as a rapper. Before I started Lyrics to GO I didn’t see one single music video with subtitles. But it very quickly became a trend in my community and other communities. The first Lyrics to GO episode dropped on November 16, 2016.” Since, Kota’s reshaped the landscape of hip-hop, and his vast influence is unquestionable as the first rapper to add captions to his videos.
Check out the featureless, fifth installment of Kota’s Lyrics to GO series above and stay tuned for details on his forthcoming Lyrics to GO Tour.
© 2024, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
