Malik Ninety Five is an embodiment of the dynamism underfoot in the city’s scene. The producer and rapper is part of the Freewater cooperative, a group of young creatives fostering a platform for events, filmography, photography, music and more.

After an appearance at 2017’s Voodoo Music + Arts Experience, Malik was enlisted by Alfred Banks to produce the latter’s Mere-Exposure Effect EP. Earlier this year, he had two of his works premiered by Noisey. He’s also a new member of Curren$y’s Jet Life Recordings and poised to enter the most fruitful chapter of his fledgling career yet.

The 23-year-old’s steadily increasing list of accolades is an astonishing feat, not simply due to its inherent value. Malik went deaf and still managed to create the lush soundscapes on his forthcoming project, Tragedy’s Under the Sun. Simultaneously, the death of a close friend spurred in him a greater depth of acuity.

In an exclusive interview with OffBeat.com, Malik details his tribulations, the artistic outlook of his (which belies his young age) and more.

Below, check out the video for his latest single, “Love or Lust.”

For more on Malik Ninety Five, follow him on Soundcloud, Instagram and Twitter.