The thing about being hip to so many different upcoming artists is that the playing field seemingly only expands and sometimes it’s hard to know who truly has an edge. That’s just my personal experience. One thing I can say is the energy and impact one Jay Griffy is having is certainly worth active attention.

The colorful, stimulating visual for “Shots Fired” dropped toward the end of January and has racked up over 120k views since. The opening line of “word, everything fuego” foreshadows a two minute, 39 second long burst of lights, hues, bros, bullet holes and women. Kudos to the director Aisha Visuals, as the transitions and editing of the visual make it especially appealing.

Griffy and his team’s energy throughout the video solidify how much they enjoyed this track, and the faith that it could soar. His lyrical ability is there, dazzling you with his speed but continually landing line after line. Not that they’re perfect, but the rhymes are creative and there’s a certain aesthetic to how frantic he sounds.

This isn’t all for the Bronx-born, Atlanta native though. His most recent EP Spicy peaked at #5 on iTunes Canada and #20 on iTunes U.S Hip-Hop charts. His name is circulating throughout the industry and he’s taken his show on the road throughout the East Coast and Southern region. It was lead by single “Ran Thru It” whose accompanying visual displays the extent of Jay’s creativity. He’s being chased by cartoon monsters and dealing with women, because…well of course, that’s what we dream about.

I certainly don’t have the golden stamp, but me personally I’m going to be keeping a close eye and I think it’s worth it. There’s upside here, and clearly folks in the Great North and good ol’ United States feel the same way.

Check out the Spicy EP below, very well aptly named for what this year could be for Jay Griffy.