Tafari drops a West Coast time capsule on Lo-Fi wheels with "STERN GROVE"

Tafari's newest single, "STERN GROVE," is like a classic convertible, top-down, cruising through the Bay with only sunset skies and good energy ahead. It's a smooth, soulful, and  unmistakable bounce that West Coast aficionados will immediately recognize, but Tafari does it in his stylish inflections. There's a solid sense of groundedness here, but it's almost like Tafari fielded these rhymes from a park bench looking over the trees, but the beat is still rolling with plenty of palpable intention.

Tafari channels the spirit of his Bay Area upbringing, mixing contemporary G-Funk with lo-fi sonics, slap-you-in-the-face drums, and lyrics that straddle the line between daydreaming and drive-by meditation. "STERN GROVE" isn't one for the show, but the power lies mainly in understatement. It doesn't have to scream to be noticed or heard, but instead, it homers you on the shoulder, cavalierly enlisting you in its world the way an old pal with a new tale to share might.

"STERN GROVE" just spent three straight weeks on Groover's charts, and it's not hard to understand why. There's a timelessness baked into its smart, squared-off cheekbones. It treads the line between memories and now, packaging soulful G-Funk vibes in a chill-hop wrapper ideal for long drives, study sessions, or late-night solitary moments when you want a soundtrack that doesn't crowd your thoughts but enhances them.

Neither too short nor too long; nowhere near too high nor too low in vibe, "STERN GROVE" never asks too much of you but is a vibe, ride, and state of mind. And with that sort of clear sense of self and purpose, Tafari demonstrates that sometimes the most potent music is the one that knows exactly where it's from and where it's going. For rap heads who like to keep it mellow, lo-fi fans, or anyone starving for a modern twist on a vintage-style West Coast cruise, "STERN GROVE" is a part of your rotation.

Link with Tafari: Instagram