Veve C Drops New Single

Unlike what some of the old school hip-hop critics would tell you, it is possible to be delicate with your verses but precise with your delivery, and Veve C is making it her mission to prove this in her new single “Breeze.” Lacking the melodic blush that a lot of female rappers rely on as opposed to the minimalist setup this track utilizes, “Breeze” has a lot more in common with the lo-fi crossovers that we’ve been hearing out of the west coast and European hip-hop and trap scenes lately than it does anything currently maintaining the mainstream status quo.

The clandestine sample that Veve C is working with as a foundation doesn’t need to be large and in charge, because in this instance it’s made to emphasize her focus more than her presence. This isn’t a player who has to lean on a big hook to get a chills factor going in a track, and while she could be a little more aggressive at the start – at least to match the attitude she has in the second act of “Breeze” – her overall execution is a lot sharper than some of her peers in the underground at the moment.

Lyrically, this track exhibits a lot of confidence on the part of the rapper holding the mic, and she stops well short of the arrogant territory that tends to get a lot of indie artists into more trouble than they can handle. This isn’t a front; the arrangement is lean so that Veve C can give it to us hard and real with her verses, which takes more boldness than some in this game know how to muster (especially when starting out). There’s no discord in her rhythm, just a sense of calm that usually only comes with time and experience.

When the hook does come into play here, it’s as soothing as the vocal element is on its own, and it doesn’t sound like the sole focal point of the track for a second. There’s a lot to take in here, from the relaxed manner of Veve C’s delivery to the supple nature of the instrumentation she’s straddling with such ease, and had the main climax in the song been any more profound than it is in this instance, it would have been a lot harder to tell this effort from the scores of others coming through the same independent channels right now.

Vibes come before virtuosity in Veve C’s “Breeze,” and for listeners who care more for tonal hip-hop as opposed to the brash attack a lot of other rappers are employing in 2022, it’s a song and music video that is definitely worth your time. It’s hard to stand out in a market that is as saturated with interesting players as the current hip-hop underground is, but Veve C isn’t banking on flash or even surface-level panache in this track. I like her poise, and it’s made me curious about what kind of music she’s going to record in the future.

Mindy McCall