Louisville rapper 2KBABY drops his new single “Like This,” with the genre-blurring producer Marshmello on Masked Records / Warner Records. 2K’s voice has often felt soaring and stratospheric, and on “Like This,” he leans into this radiance while pulling listeners in close. Intimate and human, “Like This” unlocks a new dimension of the rising star’s rapidly expanding sound.

From the glowing Marshmello beat to 2K’s introspective lyrics on how far he’s come, “Like This” feels like a coronation. Over warm guitar and humming 808’s, 2K basks in the success he’s worked so hard for. “I been through too much just to live like this,” he sings. It’s the kind of record in which you can hear an artist’s whole story.

“Like This” marks 2K’s first official single since his stellar debut EP Pregame Rituals. But it’s been a highly productive 12 months nonetheless. Earlier this year, he let off the two-pack, THE 2K STIMULUS, which contained lush R&B record “Rounds” and bluesy cut “2kizzy Flow.” And he shared the reflective “MAD” last September following Pregame Rituals’ April release. The EP—which featured “Old Soul” with G Herbo, as well as his RIAA Gold-certified hit, “Old Streets”—garnered praise from a host of tastemaking outlets including Pitchfork, Complex, XXL, FADER, UPROXX, and more. Across that set, 2K ruminated on his past, pulling out some of the most memorable melodies rap’s seen in recent years. And yet, it seems he’s again turning a new leaf on “Like This.” A true innovator, 2KBABY surely has plenty more up his sleeve.