Reese LAFLARE

Developing new styles as the hip-hop zeitgeist shifted throughout the 2010s, rapper Reese LaFlare proved his mettle as an early innovator in Atlanta's rapidly rising trap scene. After an influential mixtape run in the first half of the decade, the rapper continued to evolve his sonics for his 2018 debut album Reese LaFlare. An innovator in the 2010s trap scene, rapper Reese LaFlare (born Maurice Williams) started his career on a bet after a friend wagered $200.00 that he couldn't make a solid mixtape, LaFlare recorded his debut, Reese vs. the World (2011) in just three days. Co-sign early on by Don Cannon, who released both LaFlare's debut and follow-up, Reese vs. the World 2, the rapper soon linked up with friends KEY! and Curtis Williams to found the collective Two-9. With the group, the rapper pushed the early sonics of Atlanta's trap scene, blending modern rap approaches with homages to icons like UGK, Three 6 Mafia, and Jeezy. Although LaFlare found an innovative formula for key mixtapes Reese vs. the World 2 (2012) and DSNRTRAPN (2013), he split from Two-9 in 2014 due to creative differences. After a break from music in 2014, LaFlare pushed his work ethic in 2015 and 2016, dropping mixtapes DSNRTRAPN2 and Before the Universe alongside EPs Jump Off the Building and The TRL EP. This mid-decade material added some fresh directions to LaFlare's approach as he adapted to the brash sonics of contemporaries like Future. The rapper adopted elements of Auto-Tune and continued to develop his repertoire of flows. After another year away from the studio, the rapper continued to update his style on his debut self-titled album. With a stacked roster of guests from Young Thug to Pusha T, the rapper's debut continued to dance with the sonics of the modern trap sphere; songs like "No Cap" embodied the breezy, circular trap typical of the era, while cuts like "Escalators" and "Mood Ring" gave the rapper enough room for experimentation. A similar approach was adopted for 2019 sophomore album Final Fantasy, which saw him delve into R&B for the first time with cuts "Masquerade" and "Creep." The early months of 2020 saw LaFlare drop EP Diva Vol. 1 in tandem with his new clothing line. ~ David Crone, Rovi