For the past few months, I’ve been arguing that more people should be paying attention Johnstown, Pennsylvania rapper Eem Triplin, who is for my money one of the most innovative young voices in hip-hop today. I’m not the only one who thinks so; he was included in the 2025 XXL Freshman Class just a few months after releasing his debut album Melody Of A Memory on RCA Records in February.
His new song, “If I Wanted To,” is a prime example of why I think so highly of his talent. He finds a clever, cheeky way to expend the sort of flexes that would sound tired coming from someone else, with a bouncy, singsongy flow both inspired by 106 & Park-era rap mainstays and distinct from them in key ways. The track really works, and its simple but colorful video continues to display Eem’s affable personality as he crams extras into an elevator, both celebrating and poking fun at the trappings of music biz success.
The rapper has also shown a firm grasp of the mechanisms of virality; his last single, “Coming Undone,” garnered plenty of buzz thanks to his lighthearted back-and-forth with labelmate SZA. Keep your eye on Eem Triplin; he’s a star in the making.
You can watch Eem Triplin’s “If I Wanted To” video above.