Nettspend’s debut studio album has San Luis Obispo High School students ecstatic as they listen to the rapper’s new style. Collage courtesy of junior Sawyer Cram.

  Underground rapper Nettspend’s recently released album Early Life Crisis (ELC) has been on the radars of both San Luis Obispo High School students and the broader music industry since early February 2026. Nettspend’s unique musical profile of awe inspiring beats and punchy lyrics have continuously captivated audiences across the world and the generational release of his debut studio album has fans on the edge of their seats as they listen to it.

  The studio album – featuring 21 tracks – premieres a new sound for the rapper which will undoubtedly push him and his unique music into the view of the mainstream rap industry.

  “Nettspend’s new album was really a continuation of his legacy in the underground scene with a lot of the same producers and the same label, but he really found a new and unique sound through his engineering choices,” said sophomore Amir Rastad.

  Nettspend’s unique music has historically been a hidden gem for rap enthusiasts. The rapper is considered underground, meaning his music and name have not yet been able to reach the ears of the general public, yet his sound profile consistently rivals that of many mainstream artists.

  However, Nettspend’s underground status is about to change, “ELC” is Nettspend’s first studio album — meaning that it was recorded inside a professional recording studio. This elevated standard of recording alongside the rapper’s semi-recent signing to Interscope Records practically guarantees the album to free Nettspend from the clutches of the underground.

  Alongside the leap in production quality seen in ELC, the album has also premiered a new sound for the rapper.

  “I think stylistically ELC has been drastically different from both [previous Nettspend albums] “BAFK” and “Kickdoor.” In terms of quality it is definitely a very good album and Nettspend was able to put his own spin on rage music without directly copying,” said sophomore Henry Wilkes.

 However, with such a unique sound, ELC is bound to not be a universal success. Many people consider Nettspend’s work to be too overwhelming or to be lacking fluidity between the beat and lyrics.

  “I don’t really listen to the kind of more chaotic style that he has. His beats are very chaotic, and then he kind of just talks over them. I don’t really like his style at all,” said junior Otis Grieshop.

  The release of “ELC” has significantly helped to further Nettspend’s name in the rap scene. According to Google Trends, the average daily searches for the rapper have almost doubled since ELC was released. If Nettspend continues to produce consistent music this number should only be expected to rise.

  It’s only a matter of time until Nettspend breaks out of the underground into the mainstream.

Sources: trends.google.com, wikipedia.org