Lathan Warlick: My Way – EP Review

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Lathan Warlick’s debut EP, My Way is available now, April 23rd, on all streaming platforms. Full of collaborations with artists like Tyler Hubbard, Lauren Alaina, and Russell Dickerson, check out the full project First Impression review here.

My Way, country music newcomer, Lathan Warlick’s major-label debut project was released today, April 23rd. The eight-track collaboration EP features seven different Nashville stars including Matt Stell, Russell Dickerson, Lauren Alaina, RaeLynn, Dustin Lynch, High Valley, and Tyler Hubbard.

Many artists today blend aspects of multiple genres in their music, and country artists are no different. Back in the early 2010s, acts like Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line introduced Nashville to ‘country rap’ and paved the way for other artists such as Colt Ford, Upchurch, and many more. After a slight decline a few years later, Lil Nas X brought it back into the mainstream with his mega-hit “Old Town Road,” which inspired acts like Breland, and now Lathan Warlick. Warlick combines elements of country and gospel into his thumping hip-hop beats. His musical mission is to spread messages of faith and positivity under his signature mantra: “do different, be different.”

“Merging Hip Hop, Country, and Gospel all on one project is definitely something given from The Most High,” Warlick admitted in a recent press release. “Time to give the world something different since I get to have it ‘My Way.’”

The title track starts off the record. With its ‘bass-meets-banjo’ sound, it could easily fit into any country tailgate playlist. He and Hubbard describe what a perfect day would feel like if they had it “their way.”

“Roots” with RaeLynn and “Over Yonder” featuring Matt Stell were also previously released. The former recognizes all the beautiful and hard-working small-town women who appreciate where they’re from. The latter contains a heavy amount of steel and electric guitar, as Warlick calls for unity between people of all colors and demographics.

In “In His Hands” and “Gotta Be God,” Warlick strays from his fun, feel-good tunes to express the role faith plays in his life. In the former, Warlick and Alaina show their gratitude for God, stating even after making numerous mistakes in life, he never gave up on them and showed them the strength to find their path and succeed. In the latter, Warlick tells the personal story of confronting a shooter and looking death in the face. He credits God for getting him out of the life-threatening situation and giving him a second chance. Russell Dickerson sings the bridge and the choruses…

“Gotta be God, gotta be him // Pulling me out of that mess I was in // Look at me now, look at me then // Good lord knows wasn’t nothing I did // A boy like me to get what I got // yeah can’t nobody tell me it’s not, no it’s gotta be God’

Warlick and Lynch praise the country life in “Way Out Here” a mid-tempo pop-country crossover. The grind that a small-town farmer puts in is all worth it when you’re lying under the stars at night with the one you love. “My Dawgs” is the heaviest rap-leaning song on the EP and is the only one without a feature. Warlick discusses the importance of cutting negative people out of your life and spending more time with the ones who truly care for you and have your back. The final track, “Runaway Train” is another song for the playlist. Warlick and High Valley sing about putting the pedal down, living life to the fullest, and not looking back on past mistakes.

“You got me like girl, tell me baby where you wanna go // Let me take you there where it’s care-free, you and me, rolling like a tumbleweed // Cross two lanes, just like we on a runaway train”

Although the lyrics aren’t ground-breaking, Warlick has created an entirely new sound. Hip-hop and gospel are difficult genres to bind; perhaps country is the element that makes it work. It may be too early to tell, but we could have a potential trailblazer in the making.

Lathan Warlick's debut EP, 'My Way' is available now, April 23rd

Lathan Warlick’s debut EP, ‘My Way’ is available now, April 23rd

TRACKLIST:

  1. “My Way” feat. Tyler Hubbard
  2. “Roots” feat. RaeLynn
  3. “In His Hands” feat. Lauren Alaina
  4. “Over Yonder” feat. Matt Stell
  5. “My Dawgs”
  6. “Gotta Be God” feat. Russell Dickerson
  7. “Way Out Here” feat. Dustin Lynch
  8. “Runaway Train” feat. High Valley

NYCS Top Picks:

  1. In His Hands
  2. Runaway Train

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Lathan Warlick releases.

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My Way is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.