Rich Homie Quan – Dark Shades

Rich Homie Quan puts on his “Dark Shades”

Atlanta legend Rich Homie Quan has just put out the music video for his song “Dark Shades”. A single off his latest project “Family & Mula”, “Dark Shades” finds Quan completely in his element. Cool production and fiery melodic flows create a rich texture for the listener to ride along with. Give this new track a listen and see why Rich Homie Quan has succeeded in the game for so long.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Rich Homie Quan grew up with a deep interest in literature and reading which no doubt became the basis for his bar crafting abilities later in life. A baseball player throughout highschool, it was through sport that he won a scholarship to Fort Valley State. But the artist had his heart set on something else, and after getting a job at a local airport Quan began to rap. A stint in prison for burglary had the rapper reframe what he wanted in life, putting what was important to him in focus: the music.

Releasing his first major single “Differences” in 2012, Rich Homie Quan began to land on the radar of high profile artists and the hip-hop community at large. With the drop of his song “Type of Way” in 2013, Quan was firmly in league with the rest of Atlanta’s up-and-coming artists at the time. Scoring features with the likes of 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane, and YG, Quan began to see his name show up on the Billboards over and over. After a brief break from music from 2014-2017, Quan has been back on his grind with amazing projects such as “Back to Basics”, “The Gif”, and “Coma”. “Family & Mula” is another classic record he can add to the list, with “Dark Shades” being an absolute hitter off the album.

Rich Homie Quan – Dark Shades

The Devil on Speed Dial

Co-production on the track comes from Yo Benji, ELE, and Leor who make use of southern hard hitting 808s and full use of the stereo sphere to create a gorgeous atmosphere for Quan to spit on. A piano lick passes from left to right as Quan speaks about the challenges he goes through in his day-to-day life, and what he does to surmount them. “You gon’ drown in that little water and that sh*t just knee high” he raps, referring to the weakness of those he sees in the game. The melancholic tone of the record coupled with the devastating lyrics from another classic song from the heart of Georgia.

The music video as well holds the same subtle flex of a lavish lifestyle while still keeping a lugubrious mood. Images of sculptures pass by the camera, rotating slowly against a vantablack background. Rich Homie Quan performs amidst high quality watches, sneakers, and of course shades. Almost entirely shot in this small room filled with expensive gear, the visual matches the lyrics of a high powered flex in a claustrophobic environment. But clearly, as demonstrated through his lyrics and performance in the video, the pressures do not affect Quan in the slightest.

With each new project dropped, Rich Homie Quan continues to move in surprising directions and keep his style fresh and clean. Check out “Dark Shades” and see why Atlanta represents this rapper with such pride.