Ric Wilson - “COCO BADASS” (feat. Kiéla Adira)

SXSW 2023 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 4

Pairs Well With…Anderson .Paak, Duckwrth, Chance the Rapper

It’s notable the consistency in Ric Wilson’s music given his penchant to merge genres, blending R&B, pop, and hip hop into a sound that feels more ever-present than some fusion experiment. Smooth, sexy grooves underline 2022 singles “Feel Like Somebody” and the infectious “COCO BADASS”, a collaboration with Kiéla Adira that is Ric Wilson at his best. Quick-spitted raps, a deep funk bass line, and a soul revue chorus - “COCO BADASS” is crazy catchy without overdoing any sugary pop elements. It has been two years since his third EP Disco Ric in London Town, so keep an ear out for a new collection sometime this year that will assumably continue to mine the ‘Ric Wilson’ sound to perfection. (Kevin McStravick)

2019 Review: Ric Wilson is a funk/soul artist moonlighting as a rap star on his latest EP BANBA, an exciting mix of bassline grooves, smooth horn lines and live percussion backing the Chicago-based artist. It gives the rising performer a fun and danceable atmosphere to work, always sounding comfortable in his sing/rap flow. Wilson fits wonderfully in the Chicago hip hop scene that revolves around a similar bounce that emits from BANBA (“Black Art Not Bad Art” as told on the title track), young and hungry and talking about situations big and small, personal and cultural.