Canadian-American hip-hop artist and poet CSTY caught our ears with his new project entitled Looking For More Than This. The 12 track body of work explores different topics from self-growth, relationships, betrayal, and finding one’s truth.
The project opens with the moody “The Visions” which showcases CSTY’s expressive flow and reflective lyrics. This is followed by upbeat/dreamy vibes of “Ocean View” which dives into the aspirational side of things. On “Higher Standards” the rapper shows us his flaws and his resilience to make it in this game while “Do You Love Me” sees him questioning his partner if she is really in love with him or the idea of him. He switches the mood on ” Specific To You” and breaks down a relationship where he and his partner are in sync and the understanding between them is clear as crystal. The energy rises up a bit on “Wonder” as CSTY delivers a stream of consciousness expression of what he terms as his truth and reminds us that he will no longer hide his true nature from the world. He embodies the spirit of leadership on the aptly titled “Born To Lead” while on “Paying Homage” he reflects on his journey thus far. Other solid joints include the heartfelt “Power Is A Drug” featuring vocalist Joey Jefferson and the dreamy vibes of “Under the influence.” Overall the project sure packs a punch and makes us of different soundscapes to bolster CSTY’s detailed and evocative songwriting.
Andrew Costy, known by his stage name CSTY, is a Canadian-American hip-hop artist and poet. Costy grew up in London, Ontario, Canada after his parents moved from Michigan at a young age. Costy began finding his feet in hip-hop by freestyling at parties and in dorms during college, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master’s degree in Journalism. After completing his degrees, Costy planned to relocate to Los Angeles. Before moving, he created the CSTY EP within four days, working out of a friend’s bedroom. Working with producer Safakash and earning an executive-producer credit for himself, Costy showcased a vast catalog of lyricism and musical styles. In 2016, Costy recorded his collaborative single “Goodlife” with Safakash. The song has over 197K plays on Soundcloud. After releasing the EP, he worked again with Safakash to release his debut LP. Gemini Holiday, recorded in Los Angeles and Toronto, was released in October 2017. The album highlights Costy’s ability to absorb the world around him and translate his passion to song.
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