T-Rex brings both melody and melancholia to his trap–R&B melting pot. That’s true whether through his soulful, autotuned croon or the pained timbre of his rapping, which frequently transcends language barriers. The Angolan-born, Lisbon-bred MC cites influence not just from contemporary southern US hip-hop but also the Angolan kuduro movement, which blends African carnival music with harder electronic beats from the Caribbean, making his sound truly global. Stir in sultry ballads and futuristic beats to the mix and it’s clear there’s nothing prehistoric about this T-Rex.