By now, it should be no secret that They Hate Change is the most progressive hip-hop act in Tampa Bay, and the nation is taking notice.
Over the last month, André (pictured, rear) and Vonne, have appeared in Flaunt, Clash and Earmilk where critics have all fully embraced the sound of a new album—666 Central Ave.—all while not being able to agree what it sounds like. The comparisons to other rap acts (Outkast, Jpegmafia, Big K.R.I.T.) and sounds (Miami bass, Chicago drill, U.K breaks) are all over the place, and it makes sense. In Acclaim, the proudly producers-before-rappers duo lay out some of their local favorites ranging from Tampa club legend Tom G. to krank king Cuddie Breed along with indie-rock favorites Charles Irwin and Glove. plus soul songwriter NDO.
The five-track release, whose title is an homage to the old address of St. Petersburg’s Daddy Kool Records, is a 14-minute thrill ride that will leave your head spinning just long enough to hop back on and take the ride again. In a world fraught with the uncertainty of a pandemic and the doldrum-driven nature of life under quarantine, They Hate Change has arrived with a fresh wake up call that we could all use to rinse out our cobweb-laden minds.
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This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2020.