Sha Ek Drops New Mixtape 'Face of the What'

Rising Bronx drill star Sha EK (pronounced Sha-Eee-Kay) drops Face of The What, a scorching new mixtape boasting banging beats and hi-voltage raps. Listen via Defiant / Warner Records. With features from PGF Nuk, Bandmanrill, and SleazyWorld Go, it's a self-contained reminder of why Sha EK is an emerging force in New York hip-hop.

Checking in at 17 tracks, Face of The What is an unrelenting adrenaline rush. For his previously released single, "New Opps," he unloads blunt force couplets over frenetic drill.

Energetic and forceful, stylish, yet militant, Face of The What marries all the best elements of Sha EK-and drill itself. It also reaffirms the NY artist's status as the most exciting new voice the Bronx has to offer. Imbued with a granite rasp, impeccable breath control, and memories of life in the trenches, Sha EK's gradually earned a legion of fans waiting for his next thrill ride. He's also collected positive critical attention.

Pitchfork highlighted his music among "a recent wave of sample-based songs featuring gruff-voiced rappers." Complex observed, "There are many artists pushing the sample drill wave forward," and touted him as one of the artists in the mix, and XXL featured him in their '10 Drill Rappers To Listen To Right Now' writeup.

His numbers reflect his rise. To date, "D&D" has earned close to 8 million Spotify streams, while the video has collected over 7 million views on YouTube. "One In The Head" has eclipsed 2 million Spotify streams and 2 million YouTube views on the music video. With the arrival of Face of The What, you can expect Sha EK's numbers-and an expansive fan base-to continue to explode.

Sha EK is at the forefront of a new wave of urgent, militant, and captivating street rap: Bronx drill. The 19-year-old's booming, serrated rasp overflows with the aggression and emotion required to tear through the most thunderous and frenetic drill beats. On energetic, war-ready singles like the smash "D&D," the South Bronx native brings you to the trenches, moving at breakneck speed through places where shots could ring out at any moment.

Born Chalim Perry to Honduran parents, Sha EK spent much of his upbringing observing the harsh realities of the Melrose section of the South Bronx. At 15, he survived a gunshot wound while walking in his neighborhood, which prompted him to record the vivid and visceral drill we hear today.

Local support mounted with each single he released, but Sha Ek broke beyond his neighborhood with 2020's "D&D." With over 5.2M views on YouTube alone, "D&D" has become a Bronx drill anthem that proves the subgenre has the potential to reach well beyond the five boroughs. Now that he's signed to Warner Records, Sha EK's working tirelessly on his debut project.

He believes what comes next will advance the sound of Bronx drill while showcasing his own stylistic and melodic capabilities. His intensity remains, but these days he's also recording soulful tracks that capture his pain and will surely echo out into the listening world. No matter how far his music reaches, every win is a victory for his city, his neighborhood, and his family.

Listen to the new single here:

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