With a talent for dance only outdone by his eye for trends, Tennessee native Devante Pirtle has been a step ahead since the beginning. Inspirations Chris Brown and Soulja Boy left him eager to hone his craft and struck by the power of dance to create cultural moments. Pirtle’s early adoption of Instagram dance trends and unique understanding of Gen-Z let him capitalize on a newfound knack for music to become a social media rap sensation “King Critical.”
A self-described “goofy energy” and charisma have garnered A-List endorsements of his dance videos by the likes of Cardi B and Dababy, and set the stage for his music debut “Why Is Everything Chrome.” The infectious novelty record experienced swift, envy-inducing success on Tik Tok, accumulating 5+ millionuser-made videos and support from a host of other high-profile celebrities like Justin Bieber, Shaq, and Jason Derulo.
Critical’s nimble approach to content and innate feel for the intersection of hip-hop melodies and dance continue to separate his trajectory from the masses. His follow-up single “Bop It” has a catchy nostalgia that follows suit, organically provoking buzz across social platforms. The King’s uniquely disruptive entrance to the music world landed him a record deal with Brooklyn’s high powered indie-label Cinematic Music Group, where he’ll release his highly anticipated full album this fall.
