Credit: Spotify

Eem Triplin is one of the most exciting names in hip-hop right now. The 24-year-old rapper from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, has been bubbling in recent years with viral singles such as ‘Awkward Freestyle’, ‘Just Friends?’ and ‘Louie V’, but now he’s finally dropped his debut album on a major label.

Released on February 17th via RCA Records, Melody of a Memory consists of 13 songs from the buzzing artist over 35 minutes. The project is executive produced by DJ Dahi, the Inglewood producer known for his work alongside Kendrick Lamar, Drake, 21 Savage and Big Sean.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said in a statement. “But I hope fans know that I’ve been putting a lot of hard work into this album. I’m excited for the people to finally hear what we’ve been cooking up over the past year or so while I’ve been in the studio with the homies Dahi, Matt [Castellanos], Charlie [Myles] and more.”

He continued, “This project reveals parts of me that I haven’t shared before and also shows a side of my sound that I haven’t shown folks yet. I think it shows my evolution as an artist, and I hope people hear that when they tune in.”

Ty Dolla $ign and Cruza are the only features on the project, with Dahi handling most of the production. Clams Casino, the producer famed for his A$AP Rocky and The Weeknd collaborations, also produced on the project, as did WondaGurl, who’s worked with Jay-Z, Rihanna and Travis Scott.

The title of the album stems from the video game franchise Kingdom Hearts. “I also like the name because it has a nice ring to it and holds personal meaning for me,” he told New Wave Magazine. “I feel like this project will become the soundtrack to a lot of young kids’ lives. When you hear the melodies of old songs, they can take you right back to how you felt in that moment—I think that’s exactly what this will do for a lot of people.”

Melody of a Memory opens with a personal message from Triplin’s grandma, encouraging him to share the gift that’s been given to him. “You are a special gift, and you have taken the gift that God has given you,” she says on ‘Came in It’, the first song on the album. “And I don’t know if you know what you’re doin’ for somebody else, but you doin’ somethin’ for somebody else.”

Other tracks on the album include ‘Crazy Hoes’ and ‘Feyoncé’, which name-drops famous women such as Nicki Minaj, Zendeya, Ice Spice, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Nia Long, Keke Palmer, Megan Thee Stallion, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and, of course, Beyoncé, who the song is named after.

With his ever-growing fame also comes the awkward realisation that more people are listening to his personal stories. “I always feel better after putting things into a song rather than just complaining about them,” he explained. “But when it gets personal, I sometimes overthink the fact that people are actually listening to me talk about my feelings—it’s a weird feeling.”

However, he knows that people will benefit from hearing his words. “Still, it’s necessary because I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, so sometimes you’ve just got to put it out there,” he said.