Having grown up between Haiti, Tanzania, Jerusalem, and New York, cohesion has always seemed to be something lacking in Gabe ’Nandez music. But rather than that holding him back, the emcee (now fully based in NYC) has used that unique background to his advantage in crafting music that lands between familiar poles of hip-hop. Case in point, the latest cut from his upcoming Tony Seltzer–produced LP Pangea clearly recalls the early-’00s minimalism of a Pharrell beat, as ’Nandez’s distinctly cool and raspy vocals set it apart from any of the artists the producer worked with during that era.
“‘Transactions’ is a brief reflection on some of my escapades as an active drug user,” he shares. “The beat reminded me of something Clipse would hop on, so my head instinctively went to that realm. I’m essentially looking at my drug use as objectively as possible, as my intention isn’t to be moralistic about it. Drugs aren’t good or bad—they just are, the outcome of the polarity lies with the individual.”
Continuing that thought progression, the Will Niava–directed music video that arrives with the track is a trippy experiment with fisheye lenses—check that out below, and pre-order Pangea before it arrives April 20 here.
