Nature Sounds has released a new track, “Vice Grip,” from late Blackalicious rapper Gift of Gab. The song will appear on the MC’s upcoming posthumous album, Finding Inspiration Somehow, out September 10th.
“Vice Grip” finds Gift of Gab at his loquacious best, rolling over a booming beat produced by Nick Andre. In a statement, Andre noted the song’s beat “isn’t the type of beat that I would normally send Gab, but I’m glad I did because he absolutely destroyed it.” He continued, “I remember him hitting me back on the phone shortly after I shared the beat with him saying that he was about halfway done writing to it and asked if he could come over the following day after dialysis to record it. I’ve never met anyone that had that same kind of drive and passion for what he did as Gab did “
Two of Gift of Gab’s frequent collaborators, Lateef the Truthspeaker and Jumbo of Lifesavas, also praised the track. “This is classic Gab destroying emcees, taking all challengers,” Lateef said. “My brother Gift of Gab’s legend in its purest form.”
Jumbo added, “His flow is mathematically fierce, his tone gruff and aggressive. The song is relentless and compelling from start to finish. In short: he’s rapping his face off. He was very proud of this album and played it for me in my car before the COVID lockdown was implemented. It was great then and it’s great now, which was his greatest Gift.”
Gift of Gab had been working on Finding Inspiration Somehow for several years and had completed the album before his death in June. The album will mark Gift of Gab’s first full-length solo album since 2012’s The Next Logical Progression, though in 2017 he released an EP (Rejoice! Rappers Are Rapping Again!) and a mixtape (Supreme Lyricism Vol. 2: Conscious Lyricism Lives). In 2020, Gift of Gab also issued a special EP, Offerings, to those who donated to a GoFundMe Campaign to support his kidney transplant.
From Rolling Stone US
