AYK & OJ The Chemist: “Trust Issues” pulls off a gorgeous alternative rap ballad

Andrew Kim (AYK) is a 20 year-old Korean American who has been making music for a little over a year. Omar Tyree (OJ The Chemist) is 19 year-old Afro American, originally from New Jersey who moved to LA in 2010.  OJ met AYK at college through a mutual friend and slowly realized their music interests, among many other things, like games and clothes were similar, so they decided to experiment with making music.

Together AYK & OJ The Chemist have now released their first single “Trust Issues”, from their upcoming joint mixtape. Based on a sample of “No Scrubs” by TLC, the track produced by DJ Shakey Biz, discusses breakups and heartbreaks, and how those situations are often beyond our control. AYK & OJ The Chemist is groundbreaking and classic all at the same time. Their music is inspiring and cautionary in the same breath. They can pull off gorgeous alternative rap ballads like this while getting down, dirty, and sassy.

“Trust Issues” packs an emotional punch that resonated with me big time on the very first listen. I believe this track has something that everyone can relate to, no matter who you are or where you come from. Today’s music product is marketed to diverse groups by radio stations that only play what their marketing people tell them to play, and all of us are neatly packaged into clique groups who are supposed to listen to what the rest of our peers listen to. In other words, I’m not supposed to be an AYK & OJ The Chemist fan.

When something really good comes along, it is called a “crossover” to signify popular appeal, proving my point. If there is good material in the hands of a talented artist, there will always be a good product. This is rare in today’s music business. AYK & OJ The Chemist could have followed the lead of almost everybody else in the industry and release “hype”. Instead they have that magic combination that few artists have…a good song, great talent, great production, and a sincere desire to make the best music they can. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.

AYK & OJ The Chemist have an actual friendship, and that makes creating together with no pressures, labels or deadlines a genius idea. There’s no pretense of being hyper lyricists, punchline rappers or R&B crooners. This may be the prime reason you can appreciate this music much more, because you not expecting knock out technical verses or histrionic vocals. AYK & OJ The Chemist are honest and have crafted that honesty into a format that’s easy for anyone to consume. It’s about what’s they say and how they say it that matters. They stay faithful to the music and do what they know best on “Trust Issues”.

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