Single Review: Chiddy Bang – Ray Charles – Released 26th February 2012

Chiddy Bang

Chiddy Bang are a hip hop duo made up of rapper/Mc Chidera “Chiddy” Anamege and producer Noah “Xaphoon Jones” Bersin. 2011 was an incredible year for the two young musicians with their debut single Opposite of Adults reaching number 11 in the UK Singles Chart and winning Best Video at the 2011 MTVU Woodie Awards.

Their latest single Ray Charles will be the first single released from their album Breakfast. It is an infectious soulful track with a catchy chorus. It blends a blues-style piano accompaniment with a modern hip hop beat and throws in a gospel choir for good measure. Add some impressively written rap and you’re left with a stellar feel-good track. 

It opens with a catchy choral riff before the rap entrance. In terms of rap, the lyrics have a good flow to them, both in their delivery and phrasing. It’s not groundbreaking material we’re dealing with here but it is a fun and light-hearted track in which Chiddy seems to pull it off well. I love how the beat drops in and out of this track and am particularly fond of the nod towards blues and gospel. There has been a lot of thought put into creating movement in this track - starting, stopping and building up tension well so that the chorus hook pops out at you. 

Definitely worth a listen and deserves to do well. A feel-good lift for February and a promising start to 2012 for Chiddy Bang.