Lil Berete had one of 2018’s strongest debuts, at just seventeen years old, with the Icebreaker mixtape. Now, the young Toronto based artist has released a highly anticipated follow up, 1 Way Out. This deep mixtape takes a step beyond the youthful playfulness of his debut and shows the young artists’ serious side.

The seriousness of the mixtape is influenced directly by the turbulent 2019 that Lil Berete has had. The year began with Toronto’s Community Housing banning him from featuring his home neighbourhood and community in music videos, before a wave of violence swept through. During this period he lost some close friends and, reflecting on his time as a young boy in Guinea, Berete sought solace and peace of mind internationally. As a result, the mix has some deep themes that show a maturity beyond Berete’s young years. Every track has some kind of emotional resonance. Tracks like “Go N Get It” have gentle backup vocals and synths, while tracks like “Dumb Dumb” have sad piano melodies in the background. That isn’t to say everything is embedded in this mournful tone. Tracks like “Money Moves” and “Sixteen” embrace ideas of grinding and hustling for a better life, with more upbeat and energetic tones. One of the strongest songs on the mixtape is the second to last track “Walking Dead”. As one of the tracks that don’t have a feature on it, the soft and tight production on the drum machine puts Berete in the foreground. This gives him an opportunity to show off his lyrical prowess and impressive flow, with an echoing electric guitar giving some melodic guidance. It is chilled but deep, coercing the listener into actively paying attention to the lyrics while remaining relaxed. As a result, this track is a good indication of the overall sound of the mixtape.

Lil Berete’s second mixtape shows a lot of promise for such a young talent. Be sure to check out Toronto’s hottest prospect here: https://lilberete.lnk.to/1wayout