Tree has been a little quiet lately, but clearly that don’t mean shit. He just dropped this very vibed out joint produced by 110 Pure. “Karl Malone” is the first preview from #Trillin, which if this track is any indication, is perhaps Tree’s very calculated response to the current trends in Chicago. Given Chief Keef’s rapid rise to prominence, it’s easy to see how someone like Tree—who has a very very very different sound, that is the product of a very different approach—might have a response in the form of music.

Tree is a smart guy, and while he’s not gonna go and change his whole self up to get attention, it’s easy to see why he’d change the style up right quick: you gotta give the people what they want. Now, I’m sure this is one project amongst several concurrent ones, so it’s business as usual for the Chicago rapper, but if nothing else this should serve as a bountiful example for why Tree is an incredible artist to be taken seriously: even if he’s not doin his shit, he still sounds fuckin dope.

- Zachg