Philadelphia rapper 2Rare releases his infectious new mixtape Truth or Rare. Listen HERE via Second Estate/Warner Records. Boasting unforgettable hooks, melodies for days, instant party-starters, and a who’s-who of hip-hop features including NLE Choppa, Lil Durk, Sha Ek, and SleazyWorld Go, the new release showcases a lyricist and performer leveling up in every way imaginable. He also unveils a new video for the infectious “Lady-Cop” which samples TLC’s “No Scrubs.” Watch the video above.
The mixtape kicks off with his latest single “Rare Story Pt.2,” a propulsive crowd-pleaser and follow-up to the 2021 underground hit “Rare Story.” Also included is Rare’s track “Don’t Run,” featuring NLE Choppa, an explosive take on Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It.” Another highlight of the release is the danceable “Rare Steppa.” Other noteworthy tracks include “Bank Rolls” featuring Sha Ek, “Baby Father,” and “Lady Cop” which is accompanied by a video that showcases Rare’s sense of humor as he is under arrest by a couple of dirty cops.
The mixtape’s arrival caps months of new music from the 23-year-old, whose versatility and ear for addictive yet insightful hip-hop knows no bounds. Beyond tracks featured on the release, 2Rare lent his talents to NLE Choppa’s “Do It Again,” which has already gone RIAA Certified Gold. Additionally, he was recently featured in XXL’s 2023 “Freshman Class,” in which they sing the MC’s praises for his drive to break out bigger than ever.
Considering the talent and club-ready production of Truth or Rare, it’s only a matter of time before 2Rare’s goal of superstardom comes to fruition.
Truth or Rare Tracklist:
Rare Story Pt. 2
Lady Cop
Just Do It
Rare Steppa
Don’t Run (ft. NLE Choppa)
Toxic Ish
Q-Pid (feat. Lil Durk)
Side Bitches
Lil Mama
Bankrolls (ft. Sha EK)
Baby Father
2 Man (ft. SleazyWorldGo)
One of One (Back It Up Pt. 2)
Rare’s Room
ABOUT 2RARE:
From its beginnings, hip-hop has been about rearranging what already exists in a way that is daringly, irresistibly new. That’s exactly what 2Rare, the Philadelphia native at the forefront of the emergent club-rap scene, has done, fusing hits from past generations to the propulsive style of music and dance that has long driven underground culture on the Eastern seaboard. From his national breakthrough with 2020’s “Big Drippa,” the 23-year-old, born Naseem Young, has flourished with a seemingly endless string of upbeat Technicolor offerings that pack dancefloors and make radio and streaming playlists even more inventive. Now, his debut LP, Truth or Rare, offers the definitive take on the sound that could come to define the 2020s in hip-hop. With Truth or Rare, 2Rare is doubling down on the approach that he’s all but perfected. He reveals that he has some much darker songs in the vault—songs that speak to depression or loneliness that intermittently flares up, or speaks to the hardship he’s had to endure. But for the time being, he’s “doing what’s worked for me” thus far. In explaining how he’s adjusted to newfound fame and comparisons, with Truth or Rare, 2Rare reaffirms that his only competition is in the mirror.
