Today, New York rap sensation Bobby Shmurda is back with another dramatic new single “Splash.” Producers Danny Wolf and ALOY’s moody keys and West Coast bassline churn ominously as Shmurda mixes flashes of opulence with tales of the streets. It’s his second single in two weeks, the start of a resurgence for a generational talent making another run at superstardom.
“Splash” is Shmurda in top form—he sounds like he’s hungry and has something to prove. Seconds in, he’s already bodying the instrumental, spilling lifestyle raps in a double-time flow and that incisive murmur he’s been deploying on recent tracks. You hear moments of anger alongside more luxurious parts, where he’s just cataloging the stones on his body. It’s the Bobby of old with a more writerly eye for detail and an airy flow that feels like it could make you levitate.
“Splash” follows Shmurda’s triumphant Rolling Loud New York set last weekend, as well as his October single, “Cartier Lens.” Compared to earlier records where his bars were all brawn, coming down on listeners like boulders, his new work sounds icy and menacing, ensnaring the beat in intricate wordplay and tight-knit rhyme schemes.
These moments follow his long-awaited February release from prison after six years in. He re-entered the rap world showered in praise, garnering profiles from GQ and Complex, but he stayed low, reacclimating and honing his craft. Recent singles suggest a reinvigorated Bobby Shmurda more in touch with his pen and voice than ever before.
Finally, he’s fulfilling the potential he hinted at on classic records like 2014’s “Hot N***a,” and the tracks found on his Gold-certified EP, Shmurda She Wrote. “Splash” is another reminder that he’s back. And, somehow with each passing track, better than ever.
