Token’s Universe

1.24.23

Token, Sway’s Universe 2023

Token. A twenty-four-year-old hip-hop artist from Salem, Massachusetts. You may know him for his Tech N9ne feature. Or, perhaps you recall his Sway’s Universe freestyle from about four years ago. There is the chance you may not know him at all. However, Token is ready to leave his mark on the industry as he gears up for tour and heads back to Sway’s Universe for some magic and comments around his album, Pink is Better.

For those of you who are fans of Token, you may have been waiting a very long time for him to drop his album after signing to Atlantic Records, or at least, for him to go on tour or promote the project in some way. It was on the recent Sway interview, where we learn about everything that went down in between him singing to the label, releasing the album, and promoting (or lack there of), the project.

To hip-hop critics, Token was a small, fair skin boy with lyrics that may flow like the white rapper before him. With a major label sign like Atlantic, Token knew he had to perfect his craft before dropping, and he was happy with his work. However, just days after dropping the album, Pink is Better, Token lost his father. Not only that, but he had just had to make the difficult decision to move from Boston to LA to pursue his career, meaning he would have to leave behind a very important relationship with his girlfriend, on top of additional family and friends.

While all of that is a lot for anyone to deal with, it is a year later and Token is ready to return to this special piece of work. As he enters Sway’s studio, Sway compliments him on just how much he has grown as a man in general since his last time in the studio. As they discuss the album, we learn about how Token teamed up with some crazy features from the project, including Rico Nasty, JID and Benny the Butcher.

A great lineup for this breakthrough project, but we learn the promotion was light. So, to pick things up where he left off, Token shares another Sway Freestyle, this time, ten minutes long - over ten different beats. The beats include The Game’s How We Do, Missy Elliot’s Work It, Ludacris’ Stand Up, Drake’s The Catch Up, and more. Token starts off by addressing critics, poking fun at himself being the “Corny Lyrical Lyricist” that no one understands. As each minute and each beat switch went through, Token never broke character, as he performed each and every bar with his whole body while sitting on the studio chair. Towards the end of the freestyle, Token touched on the series of events of his album roll out. A major label deal, an album, the death of a parent, loss of a girlfriend, and now, a tour.

Token absolutely crushed his Sway Freestyle, which Sway dubbed “history.” The Never Too Different Tour starts this week which will have Token hitting the road for the next two months across the states. Are you rocking with Token?