KOTA the Friend has released the LA-based visuals ‘Like Water’ off his upcoming sophomore project with Earmilk. Co-produced by Nimbus Beats, the song is about going with the flow of water not against it. The flow of water is the flow of life. Mellow and reflective you sink into the song gradually, one limb at a time until you are drowning in a river of beats and textures sprinkled with contemporary lifestyle references. Never has the word ‘flow’ for a rapper been so relevant. Kota’s lyrics always roll off his tongue effortlessly.
“Chillin in el barrio with an old soulkicking back playing mario
Mad layed up feeling made bae’d up
Mami hold me down acting mad day one
Air bnb only app that i frequent
Baby girl just my type for the weekend
Kisses on her cheek when i leave in the uber
California girl say she buyin me a juicer
Love like this ain’t nothing im used to
Trust no b*tch but baby me gusta”
The music video is as soothing as the track. Featuring shots of the beach, LA, palm trees and a hint to Kota’s forthcoming EP, ‘Paloma Beach’ with a pigeon head on a body standing in front of the twinkling ocean.
KOTA the Friend says of the visuals, “This video is special to me. I shot it Guerrilla style in LA in-between touring and meetings. When I wrote the song, I was starting to see how I was standing in my own way by living in the past. The pigeon represents my past distracting me from my past– no matter how far I go or good I feel when I wake up. We often overlook blessings in our lives because we’re too busy thinking about what could’ve been. Eventually, I stopped living that way and this song describes exactly how I felt in that moment, visually and sonically.”
Following on from KOTA the Friend’s critically acclaimed debut EP ‘Palm Tree Liquor’ (which we’re still addicted to) this Brooklyn artist is a serious contender for the best lists of 2017.
‘Paloma Beach’ is set for release on August 22nd.
Read our interview with Kota the Friend.