Tedy Andreas is a clear-cut example of rap’s evolution as time moves away from the “golden age” ’90s. The Houston-bred rapper drops braggadocious bars in a cool, nonchalant voice reminiscent of a veteran NYC boom bap MC. A look at his Instagram feed shows his influences — various flicks of Queens heavy-hitters such as Nas and Mobb Deep — and so do his raps.
His latest jam “Diamonds,” premiering below, is a flashy ode to getting fly and feeling like a million bucks no matter what the situation. The VHS-laced production is carried by a smooth ascending bass line, and an eerie flute sample section as the crisp percussion gives a throwback feel as Andreas coolly spits over the track.
“My homie say I rap like I chew on diamonds/ Words from my mouth the reason I’m shinin’/ My homie say I rap like I chew on diamonds/ Still rockin’ Tommy Hill I bought on consignment,” he raps.
“My homie producer VHS made the beat, and as soon as I heard it, I knew I had the hook for it,” Andreas tells Billboard. “This was around the start of December, there was a snowstorm going on in New York, so I was stuck at the home studio making music all day. I wrote it quickly, the bars were just coming out of me the second I heard the sample play.”
Check out “Diamonds” below: