When Arold crafted his debut project, he wanted to make sure it most definitely stood out.
The Massachusetts rapper entered the ring earlier this month (May 12) with The New Threat, an eight-track EP inspired by Mos Def’s album The New Danger. The two releases share more than similar titles; Arold also modeled his cover art and overall bravado after the 2004 project from Mos Def (now known as Yasiin Bey), which he says hugely impacted his youth.
“That album was one of those projects where a good amount of songs really hit for me at the time, when I was growing up listening to it,” he tells Vanyaland. “But on it, Mos Def is exploring new sounds and new takes on said album… I wanted to take that same sentiment he made with the title and make it my own — really making more sense of it for me. I feel as if I’m a potential threat in this game, truly, and I felt as if I had to also make that strong first impression with the project.”
That forceful impression that continues throughout the EP, as Arold riffs on richly-textured beats and bars from fellow Massachusetts collaborators StashtheWave, Qwan?, Jiles, and Clyde Black. It’s his solo tracks, however, that best reveal Arold’s formidable artistry. After all, The New Danger was a solo endeavor — why shouldn’t The New Threat‘s finest moment follow suit?
“You can’t go bar for bar / You can’t try to match with a Jedi / This lightsaber might leave you scarred,” he raps on “Dreamcatcher Freestyle,” proving Arold knows exactly what he — and his weaponized words — are capable of.
Dive into The New Threat below.