Premiere: Roga Raph’s ‘Nostalgiks’ LP Brings Something New To ‘90s Nostalgia

The New York rapper-producer finds a lane of his own while exploring the past

Like many hip-hop fans out there, New York rapper-producer Roga Raph finds more inspiration and authenticity in ‘90s music than current sounds. “[That era] touches you differently than music does today,” Roga says via email. “Not to say there aren’t good artists out here making great music, it’s just a different type of feeling that can’t be described.”

On his new project, Nostalgiks, Roga Raph draws from that feeling to give listeners “a raw experience” of what he loves about the culture. It’s his attempt to bring a sound to life which some people might consider “outdated,” but for many others, is much welcomed. He captures the idea in a nutshell with a trailer featuring a tape dropped into a cassette player.

From the opening salvo “Bring It Back” straight on through to the closing track “Intervention,” Roga Raph is firmly in the driver’s seat to bring listeners on a unique voyage. The project’s based from a ‘90s aesthetic, yet still veers slightly off the path on tracks like “Swimming” and settles into its own pocket on tracks like “Thang Thizzle.” Just hit play and experience the vibes.

Stream Nostalgiks in full below. The project drops tomorrow, April 28, and is currently available for pre-order here.

Eddie Fu is a music and culture writer. You can find his work at Consequence of Sound, UPROXX Music, and The Verge. Follow him on Twitter, @eddiefu.

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