Songs Worth Streaming - Tasman Keith - 5FT FREESTYLE

Header image by Jordan Munns.

Tasman Keith's glow-up has been one of Australia's most exciting - and long-awaited - to watch. It's been a long time coming, beginning with a preview of singles through 2017 followed by his breakthrough - My Pelopolees - in 2018, a debut EP in the same year, and a collaborative mixtape alongside Stevie Jean - Evenings - the year later. In the years since, his pace hasn't slowed. 2020 brought another string of singles and second solo EP - the victorious To Whom It May Concern - while 2021 was won over with one of the year's most joyful domestic rap songs: his collaboration with Kwame, ONE.

In 2022, however, it feels like Tasman Keith's long-winding journey is reaching its first pinnacle moment, as everything he's worked towards comes together for a debut full-length record due later this year. The announcement comes alongside signings to signings to AWAL Recordings (Genesis Owusu, Little Simz) and Sony Music Publishing (Beyoncé, Tyler The Creator), as well as a streak of tour dates across the east coast for this March, and a brand new surprise-drop single titled 5FT FREESTYLE, which acts as a bit of a warm-up for what's to come.

The big takeaway from 5FT FREESTYLE is that if it's indeed a warm-up of-kinds, then the full affair is going to be an absolute spectacle. It's a gloating, confident burst of swaying, G-funk-esque hip-hop that feels comparable to the heights of Genesis Owusu with a slight Compton-esque/Kendrick Lamar twang, pulling from his wide-ranging tapestry of influences and combining them into a near-three-minute burst of lyrical brilliance. 

"5FT FREESTYLE is a healthy ego, but an ego nonetheless," the rapper says on the single. "Not only is it my moment to throw the line and test the waters but it is also an introduction to my direct, strong, and abrasive personality in the form of a beaten-up character who is rough around the edges, cheeky, and slightly playful. This character is a part of a duality of personas which is built from my personal experiences, past, and current. It is an entirely new direction in my artistry which I am excited to reveal in due time."

It's one hell of a time, and a nice little teaser as to what to expect from Tasman's debut full-length due later in the year. Take a dive into it below, and find his forthcoming tour dates underneath:

Tour Dates: 

Sat 12 March - Northcote Social Club - Naarm / Melbourne, VIC 
Fri 19 Mar - The Lansdowne Hotel w/ CG Fez - Eora / Sydney, NSW 
Fri 25 March - Black Bear Lodge - Meanjin / Brisbane, QLD 

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