I’ll be one of the first to say it here: Virginia is on fire right now, and with a lot of smoke coming specifically out of the Hampton Roads region, called the 757 (or “Seven-Five”). Even more amazing, is the magic is pouring in from acts at every stage of success; Missy Elliot receiving a street named after her in her hometown of Portsmouth, while Pusha-T puts on a clinic on tour after releasing his first #1 studio album It’s Almost Dry (arguably the best rap album of the year). All at the same time, there are artists out of the Tidewater that he’s co-signed like GeeLitt, Al-Doms, Shaolinn, Kiree 3600 and yvngxchris continuing to carry the torch, and helping to usher in a fresh level of electricity, and placing new eyes and ears on the region.
Suffolk, Virginia-bred rapper BROLY500 is another prime example of the transcending uniqueness that’s been apparent in the fabric of the 757 since the days of artists like Missy Elliot; possessing a special “one-of-one” quality that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats upon every release. Since 2016, Broly has cultivated an insane following due to his operation in a lane of his own. For the first two years of his career he was defined as a mysterious SoundCloud prodigy, then slowly but surely, more was revealed about him.
This year has been a very active one for BROLY500, as he’s released some of his most experimental and expressive music to date. The run continues with his latest 8-song mixtape, Phoenix Lights. Different from any other project is that this came with a short documentary-like feature leading up to its unveiling. One day after Broly dropped his mixtape, he released a long-awaited official music video for his August 2021 track “LOVE FROM ATLANTIS / AMULET! 220XX” [prod. Nurmik]. In the visual, directed by BLKMOON (edited by M3), Broly is seen wearing a dark balaclava, walking and posting up in different spots in one general location. The transitions and flashy cuts in this clip are as impressive as the cadences and flows used by Broly.
The three biggest aspects that have defined BROLY500’s trajectory are consistency, raw emotion, and the community, family-like relationship he’s built with his core fans. Paired with a futuristic selection of production, and it is all a recipe for the right path. The proof is not only in just the high-yet-still-climbing numbers on various DSP’s, but also in the YouTube comments of overwhelming support, including artists and producers expressing their wishes to work with him.
It’s clear that BROLY500 is headed to the top, and we’re here to support him every step of the way. Watch the new music video above, and continue to stream the Phoenix Lights mixtape.