Years of underground hustling have led to national acclaim for the low-key Chicago rapper LUCKI, and GEMINI! attests to his standing within rap’s hierarchy. With features from Lil Yachty, Veeze, Future and others, LUCKI has positioned himself as a favourite MC of hip-hop’s vanguard, with good reason. He’s a versatile stylist, blending all sorts of bubbling micro-genres into a sound that’s wholly unique in the alt-rap world. Opener “On They Way” uses a synth melody that comes straight from the bubbling plugg scene, and LUCKI’s mealy-mouthed delivery pays homage to the scene’s narcotised flows. The rapper paints a picture that’s as hazy as his delivery. He spits, “I'm in the mix in a random city/Runnin' from trouble and bringin' it with me.” In LUCKI’s universe, narrative takes a back seat to vibes, with the smooth spitter happily splattering paint against a canvas and seeing what beautiful images emerge.