When you mix the likes of Bon Iver and Andre 3000, and you fuse together jazzy soul music with hip hop and folk, then combine electric guitar with soothing rap, you get Raury, the 19-year-old artist straight out of Stone Mountain in East Atlanta.
After being honored as one of XXL Magazine’s 2015 Freshman Class, all eyes are on the Southeastern native and his upcoming freshman album “All We Need.”
Signed by Columbia Records in late 2014, Raury Alexander Tullis (the artist’s full name) was well received in the underground, indie hip-hop scene with his first mixtape, “Indigo Child.”
The first lines that he says on the record are, “We are the truth, we are forever, we are the youth, we are together.” In those 14 words, Raury labels himself as a voice of his generation. The rest of the album features groovy, easy-listening tracks such as “Cigarette Song” and “Superfly.” The six-track mixtape he released nearly a year ago alludes to the start of what could be a marvelous career.
Onto his upcoming first album, Raury hopes to live up to the high expectations with his first 14-track album. “All We Need,” which will be released under Columbia Records, is set to be released on Oct. 16 and is already available for pre-order on iTunes. The album features notable artists such as Big K.R.I.T., RZA, Tom Morello and Key.
Before the album, Raury released two singles, “Devil’s Whisper” and “Friends,” featuring Tom Morello.
“Devil’s Whisper” gives an absolutely perfect glimpse into the album. It features a harmonized chorus, a soft acoustic guitar riff and rhythmic drums. Raury kicks off the song with a soulful line, “You better run from the devil,” which then transitions to an R and B-sounding verse. The theme of the devil’s temptation soars throughout the song, and is expressed in the first verse as Raury sings, “Young boy, trying to rule the world I see/Well young boy, I can give you everything…But first, you gotta listen to me.”
The first single to the album offers a juxtaposition to Raury’s older song “God’s Whisper,” but this time the devil is trying to steer Raury away from his goals and what God wants for him.
The most notable part of this track is when Raury starts to rap and seemingly talks back to all the voices of temptations. He spits, “Cause I could be MLK, I could be Juicy J, Or a lame on Instagram that shows the world his AK,” which adds to the credibility of Raury for being a laid-back, good-vibe artist. At the same time, he is also a positive influence on a generation, without having to show people that he’s tough with an AK-47.
Raury was invited by Stephen Colbert to perform this single on Sept. 23 on “The Late Show.” Before his performance, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke to Colbert about his election and, as Trump exited the building, Raury stole the stage with his Mexico jersey with “Trump” crossed out on the back.
Raury later explained to Vice News that “Trump embodies separation, solving problems with anger, fear and personal differences. I’m all about the opposite, about being inclusive and open.”
In his second single “Friends,” Raury offers encouraging words, “You see a broken man, take ‘em by the hand, adjust, help them understand.” In this track, the Atlanta artist focuses on influencing others to meet new people and become friends with people throughout the world. The track sounds like floating on clouds and Raury takes the listener to different places, embodying influences from the places he’s visited.
Peaceful songs, advocating for human’s rights and fighting to be in the limelight are what make up the 19-year-old Raury Tullis. With “All We Need,” Raury is sure to stand under the mainstream spotlight, while staying true to his influential words.
Adrian Broaddus may be reached at [email protected]
