NYC’s Koncept & J57 are gearing up to release The Fuel, their debut EP as a duo, but the two are already scene veterans. Having made their reputation with indie hip-hop collective Brown Bag AllStars, they’ve also worked with heavy hitters such as Joey Bada$$, Wu-Tang’s Method Man & Raekwon, Doomtree, The Roots, DJ Premier and dozens of other influential and critically acclaimed artists.
The title track—and second single—from The Fuel (out Nov. 20 on KON57 Records) premieres today at Paste. It’s a feel-good, organ-driven anthem that finds Koncept riding high over J57’s persistent beat, his flow gruff and urgent, the voice of experience pondering what drives us to greatness. For good measure, the duo’s frequent Brown Bag AllStars collaborator Akie Bermiss contributes an instantly memorable chorus hook. Like several other tracks on the new EP, “The Fuel” has a massive sound that wouldn’t feel out of place echoing off the walls of Madison Square Garden. WATCH HERE…