The Singles Jukebox

Atlanta rapper last seen on Rich Gang’s “Pull Up,” which we possibly should have gotten to…

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Ryo Miyauchi: I hear Baton Rouge in this piece of Atlanta rap, particularly Kevin Gates, NBA Youngboy and the pained melodies in their work; London on da Track laces De’Shon with a lavish yet still maudlin piano beat that the other two would sing well on. There’s also some slight humor and vocal play in his boasts that loosely channels fellow local Young Dolph. But while “Hardaway” echoes other rappers more than it establishes a sense of self for De’Shon, he’s at least pulling off these styles.
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Alfred Soto: Although he can’t help but summon comparisons to Kevin Gates thanks to his baritone and the commitment to writing about how the consequences of the game affect his kid, Derez De’Shon sounds even more pained, especially when he rushes through a verse as if fleeing horrors he knows too well. 
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Will Adams: Derez De’Shon sounds confident yet weathered, which forms the basis of the “harder way” and “heart away” wordplay. It also results in some impactful moments, like around 2:30 when he spits “FUCK THAT” before his voice curls up into near-crying. The lingering sadness keeps “Hardaway” from sounding truly liberated, but it rings truer.
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Nortey Dowuona: Smooth, glittering piano, lumbering bass and glittering drums buoy Derez’s nasal, raspy voice as he barrels over it with surprising agility.
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Katherine St Asaph: An oddly understated track compared to De’Shon, but that’s probably better than the other way around.
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Julian Axelrod: Deshon’s conversational flow sells the verses, even if they feel too casual to stick with you. But the moments where he spazzes out and wails on the hook (especially the ad-libs, where he sounds like a vengeful ghost) are the heart of the song, his years of struggle and hard work laid bare.
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