Chicago MC Neph gets so wrapped up in his verses that I wouldn’t be surprised if recording his performances is an afterthought for him. In fact, on the new EP More to Come, he gently pumps the brakes on his soporific flow partway through “Cadillac Palace,” asking how much time he has left—and even though Neph’s question fits into the rhyme scheme as well as the song’s laid-back mood, the impromptu vibe he creates suggests that he’s reacting in the moment, even if every other syllable was planned out. Throughout More to Come, Neph sounds like he’s freestyling with friends and basking in the joy of arranging words in playfully euphonic rhymes. “Luther Vandross (Time Will Tell)” incorporates an elegant sample of a female soul singer into its easygoing instrumental, but with his loopy, syncopated flow, Neph gives the track a shot in the arm. v
Chicago rapper Neph immerses himself in his own verses on More to Come
