Arkansas-born and Chicago-based rapper, singer, and songwriter Wic Whitney delivers his new project Another Cup EP, a 6 track project that explores love, ups and downs of life and a bit of lyrical jousting.

Wic Whitney starts the project on a high note with the uplifting and bouncy “Boba” which dives into the concept of reality clashing with dreams and aspirations. Using his calm and surgical flow, Wic delivers poignant and relatable verses with lines like “They said you could everything that you wanted to be/as long as it pays for the water, the heat and the Wifi, the grocery list, the Christmas gifts and when you get sick, the men in the clinic better hook up a bed, it is what it is”.  He is far from being despondent but rather he comes off like a realist who knows the reins as he mushes on through this unpredictable thing called life. This is followed by the blissful “Hibiscus” which is ripe with a blend of bravado and a touch of reflection. The production has a soul-pop feel with punchy drums that serve as the canvas for Wic’s expressive flow and rich melodic runs. Wic’s knack for rich melodies and layered harmonies is a recurring thing throughout the project but where he takes off is on “Yerba”, a smooth guitar-driven track that features rapper Ajani Jones who starts with a vivid verse underpinned by lines like “sister got the soul of my granny, she’s such a diva when she got so much love then we believe her/Used to go corner store bumping that new Jeezy/My momma got the windows down playing that Queen Latifah/Still top the hov and Nas, I’m talking Ether before I knew respect for a woman, I knew Aretha”. This is followed by Wic’s mellow melodic flow and expressive songwriting that gives audiences a glimpse into his life.

The project moves into more melodic tunes with “Ginger” and “Chamomile”. The former is a solemn and heartfelt soul-infused track that showcases Wic’s vocal range and unique take on the subject of love, communication and the emotions that come with it all. On “Chamomile”, he gives us the perfect uplifting self-love anthem that we didn’t know we needed. Over the rich guitar licks and soft grooves, Wic sings “Let them go dear, they weren’t meant for right now, I guarantee/Let them go dear and take a good breath/You can reconnect some other time but not before you breathe” while reminding us to spread our wings and not let the past anchor us to one place. The final track “Elderberry” flips two different classic samples and reimagines them into a soft lofi/soul-hip-hop tune underpinned by Wic’s off-beat rhyme schemes and bravado lyrics. The first section has a chilled groove with dusty strings while the second half ramps up the energy with heavy trap drums and solemn guitar riffs.

Overall, Another Cup is truly cohesive but might be short and to some degree doesn’t dig deep for new listeners but it’s just enough to attract attention and keep us longing for more.

Wic Whitney first came into the scene in 2017 with his Tide Pools EP and has since released more than a handful of songs and projects over the years. He made his debut SXSW appearance this year and also performed at the iconic Hotel Cafe in LA and more recently he will open for Sammy Rae & The Friends in Chicago on October 27.