Commanding a rabid legion of fans who hang on his every bar, King Von is taking over the game with his tight storytelling and unmatched energy. Digging into his past and revealing his origin story, King Von announces Welcome To O-Block, his upcoming debut album.
Often described as one of Chicago’s roughest areas, O-Block helped shape Von into what he is today, forcing him to quickly learn how to survive by any means necessary. Sharing the perspective formed by his youth in O-Block and young adulthood spent in and out of prison, Von’s Welcome To O-Block covers conflicts and situations familiar to anyone who grew up in a neglected urban environment.
Featuring production from Von’s frequent collaborator Chopsquad DJ alongside famous faces like Weezy, “Welcome To O-Block” incorporates regional sounds from around the map into Von’s dramatic post-drill sound. The new album finds the 25-year-old rapper reaching a new level of intensity of craftsmanship, packing minute details into his breathlessly intense rhymes to paint a cinematic picture of his crazy life.
The album features recent singles like “How It Go” a mournful rap ballad that contemplates the harsh decisions made by people caught up in the justice system, and “I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign, which combines the sounds of Brooklyn and Chicago drill into an energetic anthem of self-assurance. “Welcome To O-Block” also collects noteworthy songs from Von’s eventful summer, including the betrayal tale “Why He Told” and the furious breakout hit “All These N****s” featuring his mentor Lil Durk.
Along with the announcement of the project, Von shares “Gleesh Place,” a chaotic, action-packed new music video.
Produced by Wheezy, a favored producer of rappers like Gunna and Young Thug, the lightning-fast “Gleesh Place” finds Von recounting a close call with police in a series of frenzied one-liners: “Came in out of breath/Shoulda seen Gleesh face/Then I showed him the sting/It was like fifty k!”
Directed by Jerry Production and filmed at O-Block itself, the video dramatizes Von’s story, the camera following him as he escapes his lick and dodges the opps.
“Welcome To O-Block” follows Levon James, a wide-ranging and successful project.
