If you want to get a sense of how deeply respected Kalan is among his peers, just look at the shortlist of his collaborators, a who’s who of modern West Coast hip-hop and R&B: Ohgeesy, Blxst, G Perico, Mozzy, Dom Kennedy, BlueBucks Clan, 1TakeJay, and Westside Boogie. As Pitchfork once said: “when you’re talking about L.A.’s new wave of shit-talking, designer-obsessed rappers, Kalan.FrFr should be included….”

When his forthcoming album drops, the evolution of Kalan’s songcraft and artistry will elevate him into that rarefied stratosphere of genre-defining talents. In the meantime, his latest EP, Not Hard 2 Understand reflects the full range of his versatility.