Devin Malik Drops “BACKSTAGE” & More
Continuing to put his own irreverent spin on a soulful SoCal sound, Devin Malik returns with bouncy summertime track “BACKSTAGE.” The song takes listeners on a journey through L.A. as he’s accompanied by a woman who isn’t from his world who enjoys the exclusivity and perks that come with his company. Devin utilizes a medley of quick tempo hi-hats and bass drum beats and pairs them with funky chords and vocal echoes that when combined, conjure mental visuals of a lavish, fast-paced Hollywood lifestyle. From flying women out to Spain and Dubai to bouncing around top restaurants and events in L.A., the track’s protagonist is happy to ball out with as many dalliances as he can juggle. The new single is accompanied by a Y2K Apple-inspired visualizer that features splashy bright colors and dancing silhouettes, similar to those of the famed commercial, which perfectly reflect the vibe of the funk-heavy track.
The flirty and spontaneous energy from Malik’s new single is the perfect welcome to summer and preface to his anticipated project, DEADSTOCK which is set to drop on June 28th. DEADSTOCK is an experimental exploration of the wide-range of sonics that can live within the hip hop genre.
Malik has worked with some of rap’s favorite indie darlings and legendary heavy hitters. His experiences with some of the genre’s most talented artists is reflected in DEADSTOCK as listeners with a keen ear can hear inspiration from the very best qualities of all the artist’s he’s admired or worked with. Back in April, the talented rapper-producer released “PDA,” a flirtatious video and single. Produced by Devin and co-producer WillGell, the song uses a sample from Kendrick Lamar’s “PRIDE,” supplementing it with rolling hi-hats and an ethereal piano melody to create a room-enveloping canvas for Devin to paint on. “BACKSTAGE” continues Devin Malik’s red hot 2024, following his contributions as a producer and rapper on his mentor ScHoolboy Q’s new album BLUE LIPS. The young artist produced and rapped on “Love Birds,” also featuring Lance Skiiwalker, and tore up the first verse of album highlight “Back n Love.” Behind the scenes, Malik contributed his production talents to highlights like “NuNu,” “oHio” and closing track “Smile.” After years of steady rise, and a recent co-sign from the one-and-only Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q has taken Devin Malik under his wing, nurturing him to become the next talent to emerge from the TDE orbit.
Malik’s impressive resume paired with his unique musical ear has allowed him to create an album that stands alone in the rap scene. His reputation is to skyrocket in the coming year following the release of DEADSTOCK making him the rising rapper and producer to watch.
Photo credit: Zion Grape