Chicago is about to claim another one, with lyricist-driven hip-hop artist Tray Nova. Formerly know as KIDD CHI, Nova brings a sound that dabbles in old-school influences, reminiscent of a ScHoolboy Q with his vocal tone, and adept storytelling like J. Cole and Kendrick. Today, Tray Nova gives us "moonlight jukebox," a soulful boom-bap ode to trauma and reflection.
Starting off with a choir-like vocal sample, Tray Nova begins to preach – shedding light into personal struggles, spreading determination and persistence for anyone listening. His flow rides the beat, showing a nice range with his melodies when the chorus comes in, contrasting nicely with the compressed drums.
Nova leaves no room for fluff or fat, with every second in duration holding purpose within his story. It's clear Nova is talented, and coming from the Chicagoland area, he's in a market that needs more new faces in the rap scene. Sitting at 25 monthly listeners at the time of writing this, consider yourself very early. Listen to "moonlight jukebox" below: