Hennduzae: The Newest Name in “Swag Rap”
Hennduzae is the most recent rapper that I tapped into from ORS, and he’s bringing back a swag rap sound that feels so nostalgic. To me, those of the likes of A$AP Rocky, Lil Wayne, and more were pioneers for the eventual takeover and flourishing we saw of swag rap in the later 2010s with Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti, and hearing Hennduzae bring a swag like that over glamorous beats is simply ear candy to me.
From the town of Pensacola, FL, Hennduzae is 27 years old and is looking to make his footprint in the underground rap scene. Recently, he had his first ever publicly released piece of music, his “Runway Tabloid” EP, put on Spotify. Just going through the EP, it’s clear that the swag rap sound that he talks about is one that’s a staple throughout the music. Publicly claiming influences from the likes of Lil Wayne, Pharrell, Lil B, Tame Impala, and Michael Jackson, all of these influences find themselves in one way or another in Hennduzae’s music.
Just from the first listen of the song “Runway Fashion,” I found myself engrossed in an immediate braggadocios energy and vocal delivery that carried itself largely throughout the whole EP. And with name drops of designer brands such as “Celine” and “Bottega,” it’s clear that Hennduzae is here to make music for the players out here.
“Scott Disick” is really when I started hearing more expression too, with a glamorous beat that matched the lyrical content of the EP. The “BITCH!” adlibs almost felt like Sheck Wes screaming them at first, and in the best way possible. Everything from the beat to the repetitive and catchy “I’m rich like Scott Disick” hook made this one a head bop.
“Paper Savage” was easily my favorite off the whole EP, however, with features from artists Hunnidbxndd and DJ Raincloud as well. This one features another elegant, exotic beat, and starts out with a verse that’s almost reminiscent of Young Nudy. At this point, the beat selection throughout the whole EP has been stellar, and you’ll that for yourself if you decide to take a listen. Each feature added something amazing to this song that would leave the song feeling incomplete without, and it almost felt like a throwback of some sorts with a modern twist on it. Undoubtedly, it’s a song you could play with the top off driving in the summer to, and it hit my playlist instantly.
But even with the swag rap, Hennduzae makes sure to stay versatile too, with songs off the EP like “Him” being a precursor to a sound seen on his newest song, “GEEKED!” as well. “Him” features more bass-heavy, majestic production, and it’s a genuine hard hitter that goes insane in the car.
“GEEKED!”, as I said, is his most recent song, and it’s one that was reposted by both Cash Cow Music and WavGuide on SoundCloud as well. Just in conversation with Hennduzae, he even spoke to me about how his main focus at this time is branching out to make genuine connections in the industry and just to spread his name out there, and feeling that genuine connection with him made me that much more dedicated to being able to provide him with a genuine, quality writeup that reflects my feelings about the music with full authenticity.
“GEEKED!” sees a pause flow that carries so much swagger to it, and those “YUH!” adlibs that break it up make it the perfect turn-up song. It’s bossy with a slower flow, but the swagger remains throughout, and it’s got some of the most clever and funny lyrics I’ve heard in the upcoming underground scene too, with lines like “I’m in GTA with 5 stars.” It’s a departure from just the same lyrical content, but regardless, the swagger remains and it just sticks.
Overall, the sound that even he described personally as attributable to his music is “suburban,” and I fully agree with that. Music like this can be enjoyed my numerous different audiences, and Hennduzae broadening his horizons by opening up his art to be received by different audiences makes it even more relatable, in my opinion. Every dude wants to be fly and feel fly, and music like this brings that emotion out of me and surely hundreds of listeners already tuned in too.
An artist that makes performance-style turn-up music, I really enjoyed going through Hennduzae’s discography, as I found myself listening to songs that didn’t just have exactly the same vibe to them. Some had more of a rage focus, some were more drop-top summer-ish, and some were straight up swag rap. And with a new EP on the way titled “Suburb Celeb,” he’s an artist that fans of his influences listed above and fans of swag rap alike would undoubtedly love.
It’s my pleasure to shine some light on a talent like him out of Florida, and being able to enjoy the music made it that much more fun for me. Check out all his links below, including a link to his music and his Instagram! I’m sure you won’t be let down <3
