BEST NEW TRACKS: THUTMOSE - RUN WILD (FT. NOMBE)

When you think of no-holds-barred, grab-life-by-the-horns arena rock anthems that ready you to run through a gawddamn brick wall, you probably don’t think about soccer. And yet here we are.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Russia in 6 weeks*. Despite the fact that both FIFA and the Russian Federation are morally bankrupt entities, I won’t miss a minute of it. And perhaps most importantly, this means there will be an update for the annual installment of the FIFA video game series. This update will arrive just before the Cup commences, with a May 29th drop date. You can watch the official trailer below, but keep in mind that this is a music blog, not a video game one. So pay attention to the song, because that’s all we really care about here.

(Full Disclosure: That’s not entirely true seeing as how I played 4 matches of FIFA 18 before settling down to write this.)

Yeah, that song slaps. If you’re like me and want more of it without that gorgeous Spawn-of-Evil Cristiano Ronaldo, we’ve got you covered.

Enough about soccer already, or as the artists involved here probably call it, “footy”. Let’s focus on the jams.

THUTMOSE - RUN WILD (FEAT. NOMBE)

Thutmose was born in Nigeria and currently resides in Brooklyn. He teamed up with German-born producer NoMBE for this adrenaline-packed rock single. And thanks to the folks at EA Sports, both are about see their profile and platform expand exponentially.

Taking his name from an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, Thutmose has the flow and confidence of a king, and oozes swagger with every ounce of his being. On “Run Wild” he matches the kinetic, frantic energy of the pulsating guitars, at times even overpowering them with his bombastic verses. This track is so bouncy and infectious that I didn’t even realize dude name-dropped Bon Iver until my third listen.    

Both he and NoMBE are signed to Th3rd Brain, which is amassing quite the talented roster. According to his Soundcloud, Thutmose is “not as depressed as your favorite rapper”. He also has his phone number listed there and is pretty quick with a response. And while I enjoyed our chat, you really shouldn’t be posting your phone number on the web kiddos. It just enables the creeps and weirdos.

So Thutmose if you’re reading this, enjoy the unsolicited life advice. And keep doing your thing. Excited to hear what comes next.

* The United States did not qualify for the 21st edition of the World Cup, and given the current predicament the country is in, this seems wildly appropriate. At least we get to watch our Women kickass next year in France.

Calvin Paradise is not any one thing. The half-hearted vagabond and forgetful luddite currently resides in Los Angeles and how he spends his time is none of your damned business.