Sene Exit, Us

Sene is from Brooklyn, New York. The general region of hip hop's origin is not an easy place to stand out in; it's somewhat cliche at this point. Still, recent years have not been kind to NY rap music. Save for a handful of lyricists, the once fertile land for MCs to develop in is now arid and cracked. So it's that much more refreshing to find an MC like Sene with a project like Exit, Us.

Originally starting out as a single song, Exit, Us was just a verse (the first you hear) over a loop. After sitting with that demo for a bit, Sene took it upon himself to expand on it, replacing the beat with fully produced original instrumentation. Eventually the song turned into several, and the Exit, Us you hear now was born.

Having gone through some serious life transitions recently, Sene says he sees the project as a way to "cleanse" his musical being before proceeding with his career. This serves as both an introduction to new listeners and a personal farewell to a phase in Sene's life as a musician. Rap enthusiasts might see similarities between this project and Jay Electronica's Act I, which also features drumless instrumentation that weaves several songs together.

Though there are definitely aesthetic similarities, Sene successfully created a collection of songs that stand on their own, regardless of influence. Some underground heads might also be familiar with Sene through his work with Blu and Co$$, but this project finds a much more focused and serious Sene comfortable in his own. Can't wait to see what's next.