Seven Star

Another rising star from the Botanica del Jibaro collective, Seven Star gives a taste of his upcoming full-length with this rallying cry for authenticity in hip-hop and culture in general. Seven's flow is cool, calm, and collected, effortlessly riding producer Deviant's arresting beat, a truly soulful funk wah-wah punctuated by big brass. The lyrics urge self-respect above all, and the chorus demands that the like-minded "try infiltration." These sentiments might have been expressed before but, especially in Miami, bear frequent repeating. — Arielle Castillo