This week’s recommendation was something of a surprise for me. I first came across Rico by accident as I was scrolling down my Twitter feed. This young sir decided he was going to bless my soul with his rendition of a song straight from my childhood. This boy had the nerve, the unmitigated gall to cover Usher’s “Nice and Slow.”
What the what and why?!
Then I found out that he’s with Daze Alive, the same label as one of my favorite Korean rappers, and one of my first recommendations, SLEEQ. I was all-in at that point. Of course, his affiliations with one of my new favorite labels isn’t what got me excited about him.
Rico’s voice is just… magic. There’s something truly reminiscent about the way he carries himself, a ’90s R&B aesthetic that’s all soft angles and thick vocals. His newest release, “Paradise,” transports me right back to 1995: D’angelo’s “Brown Sugar” was playing on the radio. That melted into Groove Theory’s “Tell Me.” And me? I’m in the most amazing state of bliss.
I found myself having to stop the MV when the song escalated to that pure neo-soul break with that breathtaking two-part harmony. I suppose you could say I’ve fallen head over heels for Rico. And you should too. Do yourself a favor and get invested in this man’s music.
Rock 'N Seoul 