Chicago rapper Lil Blessin was a true “bubbling under” talent for some time before the release of his viral breakout “Likka Sto.” The release of that song, though, marked a true turning point in his career—attracting a new swath of listeners and putting him in the same rooms, and same sessions, as some of the genre’s biggest names.
The Chicago Artist
While overcoming the odds is part and parcel of most rappers’ origin stories, Lil Blessin still stands out in that regard. Diagnosed with cancer at 14, Lil Blessin weathered that storm and, at 23, can say he beat the disease twice. Though he recognizes that the type of adversity he faced sets him apart from his peers, the rapper notes that he doesn’t want it to overshadow his talent or drive. He told Chicago publication The Triibe, “I’m not saying motherf–kers gotta give me nothing, but all of the sh*t I’ve been through makes me go get what the f*** I want.”
That same piece described Lil Blessin as chameleon-like, and early returns from his breakout 2022 single “Likka Sto” make it an easy description. Production-wise, the track melds together an NLE Choppa-esque, hard-hitting yet simple piano progression with anthemic, Yeezus-like horn accents. On the chorus, he sounds Sheck Wes adjacent, and in the verses takes cadences from the world of 42 Dugg or Lil Yachty. No matter where the inspiration comes from, the result is a decidedly infectious and energetic single. And though it might seem like a superficial takeaway, the rapper’s knack for sticking to concept shines through in his verses—something exceedingly rare in even the upper crust of hip-hop. He fills the track with bar, club and of course, liquor-centric metaphors, and films in those same locations for the music video as the icing on the cake.
“Likka Sto 2” Signals Lil Blessin’s True Intro to the Big Leagues
The original release of that single was a huge break to be sure. It sits at half a million views on YouTube, and just shy of double that on streaming services. However, its performance is dwarfed by the significance of the remix, released midway through October. The bite-sized original rendition doubled in length to almost 4 minutes, clearing space for some A-list contributions from G Herbo, Bia and Travis Scott, all enlisted for “Likka Sto 2.”
Lil Blessin adds some new energy into the mix on lead-off duty, swapping out his original contributions for a brand new 16. But there’s no doubt that the biggest headlines are the new featured stars. Of the three, Bia’s guest verse is easily the best, filled with an icy, unapologetic confidence. For Travis Scott’s part, he’s expectedly nimble, speeding up from his normal tempo to deliver a rapid-fire verse with highlights like, “Running my spot like 7-Eleven, I need it all day, no ten to four / Way she drivin’ the boat, I swear, I feel like Jack Sparrow.” Finally, G Herbo’s verse is notable already just in concept, an important local co-sign for the Chicago up-and-comer to receive. Much like Bia’s, Herbo’s section is boisterous and straightforwardly braggadocious, a perfect match for the atmosphere the song sets up in the first place.
While we don’t have any word as to what Lil Blessin’s moves from here will be, the mainstream audience that the credits on “Likka Sto 2” will garner surely make a debut EP or album a likely next step. For now, you can find both “Likka Sto” and “Likka Sto 2” on streaming platforms everywhere.
