Battle Rap Icon iLLmacuLate Joins Tonio Sagan on "Murderas"

With roots in hip-hop and a style that stretches to electronica and dub, Tonio Sagan crafts tunes that are just as engaging and catchy as they are genre-liquid. And his knack for deftly blending sounds into bass-y bangers is on full display on his latest single, “Murderas,” which absolutely knocks and features killer rhymes from Portland’s Illmaculate (of Sandpeople).

In his own words, Sagan’s new track is equally indebted to the hyphy music of the Bay Area as it is to the Old West. Picture Illmaculate delivering his rhymes in an old saloon full of sh*t-talking badasses and you get the idea. Both of his verses feature the clever, boast-heavy wordplay that’s become his calling card after years of being one of the most well-respected battle rappers the world over.

“Murderas” also has plenty of nods to dub, especially on the hook that’s about as meta as it gets. Let me break it down for you: the vocals you hear, which are scratched-up courtesy of DJ N.E.B. (of Political Animals), actually stem from another of Sagan’s tracks, “Frenemies,” featuring Warrior King. On here, King’s wail of “murderas” fits the vibe perfectly, with Gambian singer Shanti Starr adding chilling depth and guitarist Hugh Currier bringing even more Old West vibes.

You can stream “Murderas” below, courtesy of RESPECT., and If you’re feelin’ this track, be sure to peep Sagan’s SoundCloud.