Viral success brought attention to
Thutmose, a melodic rapper whose lines display a calm intensity. Born in Lagos, Nigeria,
Thutmose and his family fled as a consequence of the devastating 2002 armory explosion and immigrated to New York City's Brooklyn borough. The rapper's earliest commercial releases arrived in 2016, but it was a mid-2017 clip of him freestyling over the beat of
Kendrick Lamar's "HUMBLE." -- a bold move -- that had a true breakthrough effect. The video also announced
Thutmose's partnership with music management company TH3RD BRAIN, and in quick succession the rapper released "Summer's Gone," "Still I Rise," "Blame," and "WuWu." "Karma" and "Ride with Me" followed in early 2018. These singles showcased
Thutmose's comfort with productions ranging from low-profile trap to high-gloss dance-pop. The single "Rounds," featuring
Jay Critch, arrived in 2018. ~ Andy Kellman