{"id":2443200,"date":"2019-04-19T10:11:09","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T16:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/?p=824158"},"modified":"2019-04-19T10:11:09","modified_gmt":"2019-04-19T16:11:09","slug":"song-you-need-to-know-lil-zay-osama-changed-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/music-news\/song-you-need-to-know-lil-zay-osama-changed-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Song You Need to Know: Lil Zay Osama, \u2018Changed Up\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chicago is making the most beautiful rap music in the world right now. Over half a decade removed from the drill scene\u2019s peak, the subgenre\u2019s musical descendants are blossoming. The subject matter \u2014 survival, betrayal and death \u2014 remains intact, but the music beneath the lyrics has turned from sinister to somber and lovely. Instead of the intense, brutal production often associated with drill acts like Chief Keef and Lil Durk (and often imitated since), newer artists like Calboy<\/a>, Polo G<\/a>, El Hitta<\/a> and King Von<\/a> are succeeding rapping over haunting samples, dramatic piano runs, mournful guitar strums and minimal synths. Lil Zay Osama<\/a> adds to this recent lineage with the devastating \u201cChanged Up\u201d.<\/p>\n

Produced by Wooski, the song is built around a heart-wrenching piano loop that pulls Zay\u2019s voice to the forefront. In under two minutes, the young rapper spins a tale of selfish associates and loyalty taken for granted. In a pleading voice, Zay sings, \u201cI knew that you wasn\u2019t gon\u2019 ride\/You say that you got me but you steady lying\u201d as the song hits its musical crescendo. In an interview with Genius<\/a>, Zay explained what led to the crushing moment that the song is built around.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I get locked up, it\u2019s like, only my family\u2019d be there,\u201d he said. \u201cI am all alone. No guys, none of that. They ain\u2019t there for me. So I was like, I get out, what the fuck is I\u2019m still here for these niggas for, and they ain\u2019t here for me? They ain\u2019t coming for me how I come for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChanged Up\u201d proves that behind the bitterness of betrayal, you can find beauty. All you need is some AutoTune.<\/p>\n