Hip-Hop Sensation SHAH33D Releases New Single

In his all-new single, “Optionsz,” underground hip-hop sensation SHAH33D comes in guns hot with a fiery beat that is guaranteed to get even the dullest of clubs shaking on the spot. SHAH33D issues his most excessive jam to date in this new track, applying his slick vocals to a lightning-fast rhythm that grinds as hard as it sways. The drums are abrasive but not nearly as physical as the flow that pushes the verses through our speakers, and if you weren’t ready to hit the dancefloor this spring, this song is sure to get you moving closer to it like nothing else will. 

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The bassline here is theatrically big and very clubby, but I think it has a lot more in common with alternative hip-hop than it does anything in electronic pop, which has not been the case with the majority of output from SHAH33D’s rivals this season. There’s a little bit of overdrive on the bass, and it cushions the crisp stylization of the beats in the background perfectly. The spotlight is always fixed on the vocal track, which drives this single with an adrenaline-laced moxie that is sadly missing from the mainstream hip-hop singles that I’ve reviewed in the past few months. 

SHAH33D’s rapping is seamlessly integrated with the instrumentation in “Optionsz,” but it’s worth pointing out that, through this well-defined master mix, the two elements never become muddied in the grander scheme of things. The pace of the drums keeps our hearts racing to their rhythm, and the vocal acts as a cohesive component holding all of the finer points together, like a sonic linchpin of sorts. I like that SHAH33D’s verses aren’t marred in bass tones, yet there’s enough muscle in the bottom end to quake the floorboards beneath our speakers just the same. 

There’s a lot of texture in this single, and I would even go as far as to say that there’s more than I would typically expect to find in a modern rap track, regardless of the scene that spawned it. Streamlined hip-hop has been overflowing the FM airwaves for the better part of the last half-decade, and that could be the biggest reason why a song like “Optionsz” stands out as much as it does, particularly now. The production is sleek, but there’s no denying the rigidity in the beats, which makes this single so much more engaging than it would have been otherwise. It isn’t surreal, nor smooth; it’s in your face, hardcore hip-hop with a vibrant pulse, period. 

Fans of quality rap need to make a point of checking out SHAH33D’s “Optionsz” the next time that they’re in the market for new and exciting music from a less-than-commercial source. SHAH33D doesn’t hold anything back from us here, lyrically or musically, and I think that it could be described as the most involved and multilayered recording that he’s shared with us thus far in his career. The future is looking bright for this indie juggernaut right now, and I can’t wait to hear more from his camp as 2023 goes on. 

Nicole Killian