Listen to Logic Feat. Big Lenbo, “Young Jesus”

Alarmists like to say that rap has become any number of things: a fashion show, a popularity contest, an embarrassment. But Logic might liken it to something else entirely. The 2013 XXL Freshman treats hip-hop like a sport, all verbal acrobatics and daring feats of breath control and ever-tightening punchlines. His Def Jam debut, Under Pressure, married that attitude to stark autobiography, making for a captivating record that was personal without ever sacrificing form. Today (Sept. 22), he drops "Young Jesus," the first single from his forthcoming sophomore effort, The Incredible True Story. Tapping Big Lenbo and producer 6ix, the Maryland native injects the tail end of summer with some much-needed urgency. Though he shouts out the '90s at the beginning of the song, the truth is that this sort of studied craftsmanship translates across generations.