Little is admittedly known about Essii — those that search for her music via streaming platforms will find a few songs, all of which see the British-Zambian talent mixing pop-R&B vibes with Caribbean and African influences. In addition to “Pourin’” and “Positions,” last March saw Essii (then going by Esther) liberating an infectious cut titled “Brown Eyes,” a collaboration alongside fellow rising star Coi Leray that, as was revealed via an official statement, “has a flirty, tropical vibe which made [Coi] an ideal element for the song since she exemplifies that pitch.” Simply put, the Boston-born, Hackensack-bred rapper quickly matches Essii’s seductive wordplay with some additional spice of her own:
“I told baby boy put that thang on me, he said put that pussy on me, he get to the money make it rain on me, tell the truth what would you do without me, he like a freak, yeah, seven days a week, fuck me in designer, double G up on the sheets, and ride, damn get up in my pants, fuck me to a slow song baby lets dance…”
Last week, Essii unveiled a new visual for “Brown Eyes,” which sees direction from Michelle Parker and sees her vibing poolside alongside her American counterpart. Elsewhere, the harmonizing duo add to the overall allure in different locations around a lavish residence — Essii also brings the camera to the beach for a solo performance throughout.
Since Now or Never made landfall last year, Coi Leray has quickly become one of hip hop’s biggest — and most polarizing — artists to watch, much in part thanks to popular singles like “No More Parties” with Lil Durk and “BIG PURR (Prrdd)” with Pooh Shiesty. Earlier this year, Coi joined fellow peers like 42 Dugg, Flo Milli, Morray, Toosii, Blxst, and Rubi Rose as part of XXL’s Freshman class. Most recently, she dropped off the new single “TWINNEM” and its DaBaby-assisted remix, giving hope that her official debut LP will finally see the light of day soon.
Press play on Essii and Coi Leray’s “Brown Eyes” below.