YIBBY & Arno Faraji Are Making Moves On ‘Chess Not Checkers’
YIBBY. Photo supplied.
Ethiopian-born, Sydney-based rapper YIBBY has just dropped his new banging track Chess Not Checkers, and he’s called in Perth MC Arno Faraji to help out. It’s a grime-inspired heater, with production coming from Clockwork Odyssey and Kid Fiction. It’s a bit darker than what we’ve heard from YIBBY on his last couple of releases, and it’s a track for those that are out there hustling. Chess Not Checkers is a lifestyle, because it’s all about looking to the long-term. YIBBY and Arno Faraji are making money moves to set themselves up for life.
YIBBY called in Arno to jump on the track after the pair met while Arno was on a national tour. It’s an inspired decision, with Arno adding a bit of extra pop to the track. Sometimes, grime tracks can get bogged down in their own grittiness. However, Chess Not Checkers strikes the balance between sounding raw and polished, and the pair’s respective flows complement each other. I’d love for them to work together more in the future, because they bounce off each other with ease.
Speaking about the track, YIBBY says it stems from a saying amongst his group. ''Chess Not Checkers comes from a saying me and the bros would say, meaning that you have to think long-term or strategically about things. When someone would make a smart move we would kind of say that. When I get into the studio and heard the beat I knew it kind of reminded me of that feeling, it was high energy and natural but still calculated. Me and Arno had linked when he came to Sydney for his tour, when I listened to the demo back I knew he’d be right for it, his verses have crazy bounce.”
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Check out Chess Not Checkers below. Next time you’re looking to secure the bag, or you’re just at a crossroads, chuck this one on and let the confidence flow through you. It’s hard not to have an extra bounce in your step after letting this one filter through your bones, because it’s a jolt of energy. YIBBY and Arno Faraji have the world at their feet, and they’re going to make sure they cash in. It’s time you did the same.