Hailing from Omaha, Nebraska, King Iso is a force to be reckoned in the hip hop scene. Born Tarrel Gulledge, King Iso rose to rap prominence by delivering hard hitting lyrical content in the most technically savvy way. Before rap, Gulledge struggled with incarceration, homelessness, and mental illness. Determined to overcome his challenges, he channeled his energy, heart, and soul into his music. He garnered a cult following and ultimately caught the attention of the industry titan Tech N9ne. He’s now dropped his 6th studio album (3rd with Strange Music), and it’s nothing but heat. Let’s jump into some of my favorite moments from Iso's latest, iLLdren. 

Known for his rapid-fire delivery combined with storytelling abilities, King Iso doesn’t stray away from his strengths on iLLdren. He leans into personal struggles and relays to the listener that he empathizes on a wide array of mental health issues. Much of the album is him talking directly to the listeners, many who haven’t yet dealt with their childhood trauma. This is the group he affectionately refers to as the 'iLLdren'. Back-to-back-to-back, he directly hits touchy subjects head on. He deals with growing up in conditions so bad, that someone should have called child protective services on “CPS”, hearing voices in his head on “Voices”, and growing up without a father on “Stoned”. He offers words of hope to those teetering on the edges on “Teen Suicide” and on “Way You Are”, he reminds the listeners, each, and every one of them, that he “think[s] [they’re] perfect, just the way [they] are”.

All in all, King Iso is everything the rap game needs. He reminds the listeners that it’s okay to admit that you’re not okay, but at the same time offer words of hope. He does this in a way that projects strength, contrary to how mainstream hip hop tends to deal with mental health. Much of the rap world chooses to mask inner traumas with the glorification of violence, drugs, and materialism. Rather than throwing a band aid on these feelings, King Iso chooses to deal with them directly. His lyrical style is also comprised of a verbal onslaught of multisyllabic rhymes, similes, and metaphors that is objectively flawless in nature. If you’re looking for a record that you can go on an introspective long drive to, and also get a high intensity workout in to, this is the album for you. Check it out when you get a chance. iLLdren is available on all streaming platforms and is 100% Hunnypot Approved!

- Kris