A Canadian rapper and poet, Dupel is hitting the airwaves hard with his new single, ‘Festivals’. The lead single from his recently released and wonderfully ambitious project, ‘2K TILL INFINITY: The Book of Carcosa’. It’s immediately clear this isn't your standard radio cut. This five-minute, rolling, evolving track is a masterclass in dynamic hip-hop, blending explosive, high-octane trap with more reflective, deep progressive beats.
‘Festivals’ dives headfirst into youth party culture and the sinister side of modern society, exploring how external pressures can sadly lead to destructive habits. The track is a true hybrid anthem, cut between progressive rap and fierce trap banger, and creating a wild, unforgettable ride. It’s a track that mirrors the highs and lows of the lifestyle it portrays, embodying the triumphs and pitfalls of modern hip-hop culture.
As the lead single, it serves as an essential entry point into the wider world of ‘The Book of Carcosa’, which Dupel describes as a cinematic, story-driven undertaking. This mixtape is the first chapter in his ‘2K TILL INFINITY’ series, marking a pivotal moment where the Kingston rapper stands at a crossroads, tackling personal themes of grief, depression, and the struggle to achieve the dream of making it big in the music industry. The record confronts his past and his own destructive tendencies head-on, giving the whole project a dark, intriguing flavour.
Speaking about the track's role within the larger project, Dupel shared, “It is a microcosm of ‘The Book of Carcosa’ as a whole, which uses spoken word poetry, heavy metaphors, long and dynamic tracks, and allusions to 19th-century horror works to tell a story of a man grappling with what it takes to make it in this world.”
The full mixtape, available now, blends elements of hip-hop, spoken word, ambient sounds, and trap, pulling in collaborations with other vital Kingston artists like KaKaow, Mat Almeida, Kwesi Mangata, WillHound, and N98. For anyone following the exciting developments in Kingston’s rap scene, this collaboration list alone makes the project a must-listen. Yet, even for newcomers, 'Festivals' is the perfect gateway. It’s a compelling, high-energy single that proves Dupel is an artist ready to take his conceptual, progressive sound to the global stage.
You can stream the single above via Spotify, and for more, including the full album, be sure to keep up with Dupel on Instagram and the Summer’s End Society on YouTube.
