N.A.O Quelly knows how to use his youth to his advantage, with new single “Mo Betta” a standout example of how the Bedstuy rapper fashions raucous energy and unconventional production into an experimental label debut. A signee of Joey Bada$$’s newly-minted Badmind imprint, “Mo Betta” features distorted, drill 808s coupled with ghostly discordant synth, all calling cards of track producer (and previous Bada$$ collaborator) Powers Pleasant. It provides the perfect venue for Quelly’s nasal spitfire flow, where the emcee’s speed and lyrical persona play against the negative space of Pleasant’s production. While lyrically “Mo Betta” isn’t the most compelling production (much of it focuses on Quelly’s recent success and his ability to get his bread up), it’s a promising introduction to a (at the time of writing) relatively unknown artist, and nearly guarantees a barn burning performance at his live debut on August 14th at Knitting Factory. Give a listen below. -Connor Beckett McInerney
