Maryland-born rapper redveil has become a rising star in independent rap music thanks to his incisive songwriting and lyrical dexterity. On his fourth LP, 2025’s sankofa, the MC born Marcus Morton continues to wield his prowess as a songwriter, but he slowly begins to expand his scope in other directions, too. “mini me” is a psych-rock opus that lands somewhere between Childish Gambino and Tame Impala, featuring Morton showcasing his singing voice more confidently than ever before. “brown sugar” with Smino takes cues from neo-soul and early 2000s backpack rap, while “stay the night” floats along with Morton crooning above distorted guitar melodies before the song melts into fragments of pop and rock during its finale. sankofa features redveil taking cues from his earlier music to inform all the new directions he’s interested in exploring here. Even the title, which refers to the Akan proverb “It is not taboo to go back for what you forgot (or left behind),” highlights this exciting method of world-building.