GrayTMP declares his evolution on "28"

GrayTMP's latest release, "28," delivers less of a freestyle and more of a raw, rhythmic check-in with self that charts his growth over the past year, both as a man and an MC. Part meditation, part flex, "28" is the type of track that doesn't just beg to be listened to but slaps you in the face and makes you hit play.

Every year, GrayTMP puts out a freestyle, a personal milestone, and a lyrical time stamp to track where he's at in life and how far he's come. In "28," he serves up perhaps his most refined installment yet. The delivery is crisper, the flow more deliberate, and the bars stronger, seasoned, and with more punch. This is no verse-over-beat drop. Instead, it's a carefully constructed bridge between who he was and who he's becoming.

GrayTMP is not out there swinging for attention but cruising in his lane and is comfortable with that because he's put in the time. It's not a freestyle hooked up to dense production or a gimmick; it runs on straight-up lyricism. "28" is for fans who've been paying attention, for those who value the journey as much as the destination. It's a self-stamped report card disguised as a freestyle, and GrayTMP is the teacher, student, and principal at once.

When Gray offers a bar about being the next pope, a cheeky line on its face that, just hours later, turned prophetic when news of Pope Francis II's outing broke, whether by happenstance or cosmic clock-keeping, adds an element of mystique and topicality that makes the track sound cool in a spooky way. If "28" even remotely indicates the level-up GrayTMP is shooting for, then next year's check-in might be an exception. Until then, this is a bar-heavy reminder that growth doesn't always scream but ripples.

Link with GrayTMP: Instagram