Mati

Mati keeps his singular flow open to interpretation. Some Can Relate, the Minneapolis-based rapper/singer’s full-length debut, is a coming-of-age collection built from personal experience, but as its title suggests, the scenes and sentiments are more universal. Some Can Relate finds Mati more intentional and ambitious, delivering with urgency over backdrops that straddle hip-hop, pop, and R&B. Born in Ethiopia and raised in South Minneapolis, Mati shapes his music from the architecture of life: the foundation, his mother’s gospel music and his father’s refugee journey, and the structure, a range of present-day relationships, obstacles, and observations. His gifts for melodic and rhythmic wordplay find connections that transcend the specifics. Sequenced thoughtfully, with skits and all, Some Can Relate elevates Mati to the next level in his craft; it’s a cohesive statement from an unmistakable talent on the rise.