When Chance the Rapper won his second Grammy for “Best Rap Album” he talked about the importance of remaining an independent artist, even name-dropping a streaming website: “Shout out to SoundCloud for holding me down,” he said. With the rise of hip hop, rap and r&b on the platform, it has created a market for many emerging artists to showcase their talents. One of these rising artists hoping to make it big is the very talented Ned, The Koala.
Since his seemingly overnight success, 20-year-old Ned, The Koala has been on the grind building his fan base, art, and legacy. He is a highly revered artist, creative mind, and visionary hailing from Philadelphia, PA. Making music and creating since a youth, Ned has solidified his brand on uniqueness, being all-inclusive and spreading a positive message for the future creator, taking influences from previous creators and artists. Such as Tyler, The Creator, Ian Connor, Luka Sabbat, and Kevin Abstract to name a few. Whether it’s his influence on social media, the recording studio, in his songs, or on stage, Ned is a powerhouse for his generation and a renaissance man for the creative mind. There are big things coming and he shows no signs of slowing down.
His first official release of 2021, Ned, The Koala treats us to the innovative and creative single ‘Marmalade’. In a genre and style that relies on heavy low ends that carry the rhythm of the single, the American artists puts his focus away from the heavy beats and goes for a creative style with this one. He uses reversed samples and sounds to carry the rhythm, leading to more attention on his vocals and lyrics, which are amazing as always. A truly diverse single, this one deserves all the praise it’s getting.
Stream this single below.
