From Drake to Tory Lanez and The Weeknd, Canada has proven to foster some of music's biggest talent. Up-and-coming Toronto artist Nilo Blues might be en route to becoming hip-hop's next big thing, pushing through stereotypes and industry gatekeepers to finally speak his truth.
The Vietnamese-Chinese Canadian's adversities have inspired him to break out and own his creativity, firmly establishing who Blues is as a new artist. From his forthcoming self-titled EP, out August 7 via Pack Records, Blues is premiering his latest single, "Chico," today on PAPER.
While the track is a groovy, energetic bop about summer love, Blues' inspiration was certainly not the first romance that might come to mind.
"I wrote 'Chico' thinking about my friend's chihuahua (his name is Chico) starring in a Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie with a Scarface storyline," Blues said about the song. "I can just picture young Chico falling in love with Griselda Blanco or some wild shit and this song is their montage music."
"Chico" is Blues' fourth single of 2020, following "She Like It," which explores toxic masculinity in hip hop, and the anime-inspired "Akira Harakiri" and "No Risk Involved," which explore Blues' Asian identity and the battle against cultural stereotypes.
Listen to Nilo Blues' "Chico," below, and follow him on Instagram (@bluelikenilo).
Photography: Frank Lin