On the opening bar of her new EP black sheep, Chicago lyricist Brittney Carter refers to herself as, well — just that: a black sheep.
“Feelin’ like a black sheep, feelin’ like an outcast / And I ain’t got nothin’ to prove ’cause look who I’ll outlast / not to brag, just a simple observation,” she spits on the opener “pinksweater.”
It’s not entirely clear why Carter views herself that way, but one thing is obvious: she’s creating from a place of confidence and artistic control.
Across four tracks and a brisk 11-minute runtime, Carter delivers a heavy dose of butter-smooth flows and keen, self-aware lyricism over a series of mid-paced, sample-driven beats.
The second track, “doit4less,” is a perfect snapshot of that approach. Over swirling strings and prancing bass, Carter reflects on her headspace at this stage of her career:
“Might just go on a run, might just blow up tonight / I was focused on a show and they was focused on likes,” she rhymes in the song’s first verse
The final two cuts bring more of the same. “urgency” leans into dramatic strings and heavy bass, while closer “untitled” rides an echoey vocal loop and descending piano line.
Carter’s lyrics remain potent throughout:
“And when I step outdoors, headphones on, I’m just tryna block that noise / Tryna filter out the things that I’ve seen so I’m still pure,” she raps on the EP’s closing verse.
Listen to black sheep here: https://tr.ee/AsIVldPRFQ
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 