Don’t let the sugary pop hooks fool you, the lyrical flow of Boston’s Oompa is murderous truth from a street poet, educator, and rising New England star. The rapper’s latest single "Feel Like Cole" flashes rumbling beats, slick production, and the same vocal intensity that Oompa is known for, all glazed with a vintage ’80s hip-hop vibe. Much like that storied time in hip-hop lore when born-poets could be found on street corners, spitting agile verses for the sake of keeping their neighborhood vibrantly colored, Oompa’s latest track feels genuinely born from the Boston-annexed neighborhood of Roxbury she hails from. The cultural spirit of Roxbury lives in the music but also in the lyrics of Oompa which address her and her community’s struggles, triumphs, and unresolved questions of a social matter. Oompa will be taking the Bank of NH Stage for a ride on July 20th, bringing important issues to the forefront with rhythm to spare. The brand new single is streaming below. – Rene Cobar
