What happens when you take three rappers, an indie singer and producer from the east coast and put them into a super-group? WHATMORE members, Sebastiano, Cisco Swank, Jackson August, Yoshi T. and Elijah Judah started gaining traction in 2024 by remixing popular songs and each rapping their own fun catchy verses. After amassing a large following on social media they released their first single in June 2025, titled “eastside w my dogs.” This song previewed upbeat production and an addictive chorus. The heavy drums and bouncy flow compliment the verses on the song creating an east coast anthem. A few more singles were released and then in October they released their self-titled album, “WHATMORE.”
At first glance the album seems to primarily be a hip hop record, however the group explores multiple genres such as indie pop, hints of rock and R&B. The tracks vary from melancholy to fast beat throughout the record. Overall it is a shorter album with only 12 songs, and it is a very enjoyable listen. This album came with multiple hits, one of my favorite being “jenny’s.” This song is one of their slower songs and comes in with acoustic guitar and a melodic verse sung by Jackson about a bartender who has passion for music but is scared to try again. This is one of the more emotional tracks with a haunting tone that I always find myself coming back to. Another standout is the song “jackie chan.” This song is one that would be considered a genre bender. While the beginning is a rap styled verse, the chorus comes in over fast electric guitar and the singing is reminiscent of a 90’s rock song.
This album is a great start for WHATMORE. It previews the immense talent of their producer, Elijah, and all of the singing and rapping styles of the various members. All these tracks show the potential for WHATMORE and how they will continue to grow and become names in the music industry.
Overall my personal rating of this album is a 9/10 although musically there are places they could improve it as an upbeat and well made album that deserves to be listened to.
