Video: Illmaculate, "Under Their Radar, Over Their Heads"

By Casey Jarman
This, to me, is what a breakout single looks and sounds like. Now, granted, if I were a true tastemaker, the Shaky Hands would be bigger than the Arcade Fire. But this new Illmac single—"Under Their Radar, Over Their Heads"—is the closest thing to a breakout rap single I've heard come out of Portland since Lifesavas' heyday. It's in the minimal and organic G_Force beat, it's in the speedy tough-guy verses (not, in my opinion, Illmac's finest rapping, but a fantastic example of him doing mainstream his way) and it's in the iconic-looking Sam Lingle video. This one just sticks.

8 Mile
Skrill Talk


WWeek 2015

Casey Jarman

Casey Jarman

Casey Jarman is a freelance editor and writer based in East Portland, Oregon. He has served as Music Editor at Willamette Week and Managing Editor at The Believer magazine, where he remains a contributing editor. He is currently working on his first book. It's about death.

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