3Peat is living proof that lyricism is still a driving force in hip-hop music. While 2016 may have given us Desiigner and Lil Yachty — and the indecipherable babble of “mumble rap” —  Winnipeg's latest crew is sticking to the fundamentals. 

With tight rhyme schemes, attractive hooks and vintage samples, the trio is already solidifying itself as one of the city's most exciting new groups, both in the recording booth and on stage. 

Rappers (and longtime friends) Steve, Egg and Dill the Giant released their self-titled debut EP in September. Its seven tracks are a culmination of the group's best songs, honed during two years of live performances and before the prospect of a physical release came into view. 

Evident on each track is an unmistakable dynamic between the three emcees. The fluid rhyming and pass-the-mic interplay spins both laidback tunes (“Sentimental Mood”) and neck-snapping joints like “Rain.” The latter seamlessly mimics the hook from Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek's 2001 classic “The Blast.” 

Elsewhere, the jazz-infused “Jive” features inviting trumpet segments and the sultry backing vocals of local dancer and vocalist Kalliane Brémault. On it, Egg spits the chorus effortlessly: “Jive with me the first time, be live with me/Understand me, be attentive and vibe with me/The world is yours, but still more defined with me/This for the heart and soul, but you can rhyme with me.” 

3Peat's debut EP is but a preview of what the crew is capable of delivering. With a new release on the horizon and festival spots including Canadian Music Week in Toronto (April 18-22), the “triangle offence known as 3Peat” is here to stay. We're not mad about it.

-Harrison Samphir

Published in Volume 71, Number 17 of The Uniter (January 26, 2017)