New Music: Lashaun Ellis - 'Never Home' - RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture

Budding emcee Lashaun Ellis offers an early stream of his new album Never Home, which will be available next week on iTunes via J6Recordings. Featuring a hefty 18 tracks, the album is produced entirely by Khompono and features only two guest appearances by A$ton Matthews and Buddy, an artist signed to Pharell.

A fine representation of the wave of fresh, new talent emerging from The Golden State, Ellis brings listeners into his world and takes them on a journey through the streets of Southern California, painting a vivid picture of his personal experiences and the surrounding environment. Equipped with sharp lyricism and a silky flow, he delivers a strong body of work that balances feel good anthems (“Orange Juice, “Life Feels Good,” Never Home”) with menacing cuts (“Get Em,” “Kung Fu,” “Show Money,”).

Never Home has the West Coast’s signature sound but Ellis and Khompono take it up a notch. The rapper utilizes an assortment of different flows, especially on the highlighting hooks while the producer crafts innovative backings, allowing the listening experience to be an enjoyable despite being long compared to most albums today.

In addition, Ellis also releasds a visual for standout track “Kung Fu.” The short video finds him riding around in an old school lowrider and rapping in front of a liquor store.

Stream Never Home via Soundcloud and watch the video for “King Fu” below. Keep Ellis on your radar and look for him and his team to make significant moves in the near future.