Faded Flex Takes Us To “Bird City”

Faded Flex opened up his debut album Bird City with some heat. From the jump, “Choppa Go Dumb” sets the vibe with what sounds like a Dr. Dre inspired West Coast bump. The only thing the deep baseline and hard-hitting kicks are missing is a Los Angeles lowrider with some hydraulics.

Do not be fooled though, as this rapper hails from none other than Baltimore, Maryland. With the DMV boasting an abundance of talent across many genres, Faded Flex is looking to add his name to the list. Using his hometown as partial inspiration, Faded Flex takes us through his own personal playground that he calls “Bird City”.

 

“Living in the DMV my whole life was the main inspiration for the project.” 

 

Coming “from the slums”, it can seem like there are ten wrong turns for every right one. Flex is no stranger to ups and downs. Even though he may deal with his own set of problems, Faded Flex is going to deal with them while having a good time. Bird City is full of high energy party tracks with positive affirmations and familiar rhyme schemes intertwined.  Learning from his own life lessons while traversing the landscape of the DMV, Flex curated a new world that is made for him to thrive in. Welcome to “Bird City” through the eyes of Faded Flex himself.

Scorned by past relationships and negative energy, Flex has developed a boisterous persona that simply doesn’t give a f**k anymore. He now sees the world as his oyster; a place that will give you whatever you choose to take. That attitude molded his drive to create, and clearly, he was ready. The Baltimore artist dropped his debut single “John Hopkins” in January of this year, quickly followed by “Crypto” just a week later with a title hinting at his own business acumen. If these two tracks taught us anything, it’s that Flex has punch lines for days and delivers playful cadences that turn the party up.

Bird City is the type of album that has a song for everyone. Need a song for cruising in the whip? No problem, give “Resume” a spin and I promise you’ll be head bumping while the bass thumps through your speakers. You want something harder that gets you going? “Politics” will have you feeling like taking the last shot for the win as the clock is winding down to zero. “That’s What She Said” will have you hyped and ready to put in some work. What about a track to have the whole party jumping? “John Hopkins” will get the job done. While this project is definitely more of the turn up rap that a certain segment of Hip-Hop does not appreciate, there are some deeper meanings in these songs if you’re listening. Politics is a track about being overlooked when you know you have the talent.

Faded Flex has the potential to make noise in the music game with the right break. He’s got a ear for curating sounds for the moment. His best attribute may be his ability to make choruses, arguably the most important part of the song. His delivery is also heavy and attention grabbing like some of the down south artists that we love. Even still, Flex may have left something to be desired lyrically and substance-wise. We were able to catch a few lyrical gems throughout the project under a lot of hypersexual average wordplay.  Nonetheless, Bird City is a fun listen fit for the whip, the party, the gym, and anywhere else you want to turn up! Job well done Flex. I’m excited to see what Faded Flex does next and how much more of himself he’ll put in to the music.

I couldn’t end this review without a big shoutout to all of the features on this project. Young Moose and Earl from Yonder did their thing. ZayCoop on “Chea” was a standout feature on this project and it’s good to know Flex and Zay have been cool for a minute. Keep reading to find out more about Faded Flex below. Stream his latest single Vibing out now on all platforms!

 

 

 

How’s everything been so far in 2022?

Faded Flex “I can’t complain. Life has been great. I just recently moved down to Miami to be with some family so I’m vibing.”

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Are you currently in college?

Faded Flex “No i graduated in from Johns Hopkins University in 2019.”

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Is Baltimore ‘Bird City’?

Faded Flex “Bird City is a fictional location, and is a mix of both Baltimore, as well as my imagination. It really only exists in my head.”

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Are you a Ravens fan?

Faded Flex “Big Ravens Fan! Big Truss!.”

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Why was February the right time for this album?

Faded Flex “It felt like I was finally ready to put my work out there and let people hear what I’d been cooking. I had been holding onto it for a while, and I have a bunch of tracks that I want to get out before the end of 2022.”

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How do you feel about the reception so far?

Faded Flex “The reception has been pretty good for a first project. Especially on the ‘John Hopkins’ track.”

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How much of your skill set did you showcase on ‘Bird City’?

Faded Flex “On ‘Bird City’ I tried to showcase mostly my lyrical skill; mixing in endless punchlines with beats that I thought knocked. I’ve been working to develop a few other skills I’m excited to show off in future projects.”

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Take us through some of the life events that inspired this project?

Faded Flex “Living in the DMV my whole life was the main inspiration for the project. Years and years of great friendships and failed relationships taught me so much about letting go of outside opinions, and fueled my passion for creating.”

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What was the most memorable moment in the studio during the making of this album?

Faded Flex “Being locked in with my brotha ZapCoop, who’s been down for me since middle school. We have both been on our separate grinds, and being able to collaborate with a good friend is truly something special.”

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What is your favorite beat on the project?

Faded Flex “The beat to the track ‘Resume’ for sure. That joint is a different kinda bump.”

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Do you have a favorite song on the album?

Faded Flex “The first single I dropped ‘John Hopkins’.”

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How did you choose the features for songs like ‘Crypto’ and ‘Chea’?

Faded Flex “Once I had the open verses, I looked around and saw which of my brothas were also grinding like me, on on the same path. From there it was just reaching out.”

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Do you feel like ‘Bird City’ has at least one song for everybody?

Faded Flex “It definitely does. There’s a whole lot of different vibes on there, and I tried to make it relatable by throwing humor in there.”

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Has being from the DMV area shaped your sound in any way?

Faded Flex “My sound is somewhat DMV inspired, but I add my own twists to it. You can hear it in a few songs, but honestly I feel like I’m in my own category.”

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Are you willing to collaborate with other artists in your area?

Faded Flex “I’m always down to work with anyone that’s from here. A lot of artists don’t show each other respect, and that’s something I’ll never understand, but I’ve never been like that.”

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Do you have any shows coming up?

Faded Flex “Right now I’m tapping into the scene down in Miami, but I’ll be back in town this summer so be on the lookout!”

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How can fans connect with you?

Faded Flex “Instagram is the best way to keep up with me: @faded.flex.”

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What are you looking forward to most for the rest of the year?

Faded Flex “Dropping my next batch of singles and my next two projects with my brothers Mike Da Plug and Chrlip. Stay tuned…”

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