At 18, rap sensation Shanti Dope has already amassed over 40 million Spotify hits — thanks to his viral track, “Nadarang.” He has also worked with the likes of Gloc-9 and Krayzie Bone (of American rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony) and expanded musical horizons as he collaborated with funk trio IV of Spades and American singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter.
He achieved all these career highs in a just a bit over a year.
For certain, the young rapper-songwriter has already made quite a name for himself at such a short span of time; he is even being considered as one of the main acts who helped catapult hip-hop back to the public’s mainstream music consciousness.
[READ: Beats and Breaks: 10 Hip-Hop Wishclusives That Set Us All Ablaze]
Sustaining this career momentum, Shanti Dope recently returned with a brand-new single under Universal Records Philippines, with a title striking enough to pique the curiosity even of those who aren’t familiar with his works yet.
“Amatz” is an OPM piece more profound than how it sounds like. The title is a stylized take on the Filipino slang “amats,” which is a play on the word “tama” and refers to a state when a person goes beyond the boundaries of sobriety (usually because of alcohol or drugs).
“The title might be quite intriguing, but if you listen closely, you’ll still find something deep,” Shanti Dope told Wish in a radio interview last March. “It’s about having a natural high with your passions in life. In my case, it’s music. Through this song, I’m able to narrate how music has hit me,” he added.
When asked about how his acclaimed debut EP, “Materyal” has left an impact in his life, he shared that he found more inspiration to pursue his career. “I’m really grateful because of what happened to me since I released ‘Materyal.’ With all that, I’ve learned to be more passionate with what I do,” he shared.
Change is an inevitable part of an artist’s career. And Shanti Dope is embracing it with open arms as he offers an evolved style — both lyrically and sonically — in his newest single.
“Amatz” boasts more gripping and biting verses that talk about his desire to survive a vice-inflicted society through his music. It’s also packed with a “new Oriental flavor,” adding another layer of allure to the track’s hard-hitting theme.
Sabi nila sakin nung bata (ayy)
Shanti Dope, “Amatz”
Ano ka kaya pagtanda mo
Eto hinangad ko
Lipadin ay mataas
Pa sa kayang ipadama sayo ng gramo
‘Di bale nang musika ikamatay
Kesa pirata’t braso
In a press release, producer and long-time collaborator Klumcee shared that the song for him is about “having an awareness about our environment in society, which is bombarded by synthetics and chemicals.”
He further revealed that they “made a conscious effort to make it sound like a banger, so that a lot of people would enjoy and feel the vibe and message of the song.”
Shanti Dope’s newest offering marks a new era in his still evolving career. It’s the kind of song that makes one wonder what kind of tracks would the artist drop next. With a creativity, boldness, and gift of music like Shanti Dope’s, Klumcee was right to say that “you should expect the unexpected.”
Watch Shanti Dope’s viral Wishclusive performance of “Amatz” below:
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