Troy Ave featuring Fredo Santana - My Pride

Well, this is an interesting pairing. Though both Troy Ave and Fredo Santana‘s music revolves around the same coke-coated coin, their approaches and aesthetics are worlds apart. Just like how their hometown’s takes on pizza are different but still revolve around generally the same item, their differences and similarities can be categorized in similar fashion.

On Troy Ave’s new BSB Vol. 4 tape, the disciple of old-school NYC links up with new school trap-rap vanguard Fredo Santana and attempts to bridge the gap between Chicago and NYC’s current scenes. “My Pride” is the result, and this might be one of Troy Ave’s strongest efforts in recent memory. Whereas Troy takes a more smooth, calculated route to rapping, Fredo’s part is drenched and doused in autotune and codeine.  The production and its melodies are geared towards the soulful side and are characterized by samples and strings. However, the actual beat and drums sound like something Lex Luger and Young Chop might have stored away in their hard drives somewhere. This track is a perfect mixed and matched selection of two different-yet-alike rappers, and it looks like that newly-bestowed “XXL Freshman” title Troy Ave has is well-warranted.