Music thrives on innovation, and every once in a while, an artist emerges who isn’t afraid to push boundaries and redefine genres. Enter Oryah, an East Coast artist with a passion for storytelling, vulnerability, and sonic experimentation. With his latest single, “Long Nights“, released on February 22, 2025, Oryah introduces what he calls “acoustic rap”—a fresh take on hip-hop that merges raw lyricism with stripped-down, organic instrumentation.
At its core, Long Nights is a deeply personal reflection, a track born from late nights spent wrestling with intrusive thoughts and the weight of uncertainty. As someone who gravitates toward the nocturnal hours, Oryah channels those dark, introspective moments into a melancholic yet hypnotic soundscape, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into his mind.
Sonically, the track eschews the heavy, bass-driven beats that dominate modern rap, opting instead for a raw and organic aesthetic. The delicate, melancholic guitar melody—courtesy of award-winning producer ZBeatz—sets the stage for Oryah’s poignant delivery, creating a moody, late-night ambiance that lingers long after the song ends.
The decision to keep the production minimal works in the song’s favor, allowing Oryah’s lyrics and delivery to take center stage. There’s no excess, no overproduction—just a voice, a guitar, and a story that feels deeply personal yet universally relatable. This stripped-down approach invites the listener in, making the song feel less like a performance and more like a one-on-one conversation.
Lyrically, Long Nights is a meditation on self-doubt, insomnia, and the mental toll of overthinking. Oryah speaks candidly about navigating life’s uncertainties, delivering each bar with a blend of poetic introspection and quiet resilience. His flow is conversational yet impactful, reminiscent of artists like Isaiah Rashad, Lucki, and Kendrick Lamar, whose ability to turn vulnerability into art has long set them apart.
But while the track is rooted in reflection and late-night contemplation, it’s far from self-pitying. Instead, Long Nights carries a quiet strength, a feeling that even in the darkest hours, there’s still music to be made and emotions to be expressed.
Oryah’s journey into music is as unconventional as his sound. Starting as a beatmaker, he spent years behind the scenes, crafting instrumentals before stepping into the booth as a rapper during the pandemic. His influences are diverse—heavily inspired by rock and metal during his childhood (thanks to hours spent on Guitar Hero) before transitioning into hip-hop and R&B in his early teens. That eclectic background is evident in his music, where he effortlessly blends elements of melody, rhythm, and emotion into a sound that feels uniquely his own.
While Long Nights is a standalone single, it marks the beginning of something bigger. Oryah isn’t just releasing music—he’s introducing an entirely new approach to hip-hop, one that strips the genre down to its emotional core while maintaining the storytelling and rhythmic complexity that makes rap so impactful.
His ultimate goal? To create music that resonates. To build a loyal audience who finds solace, understanding, and authenticity in his work.
Long Nights isn’t just a song—it’s a mission statement. It’s the sound of an artist defining his own lane, refusing to conform, and embracing the raw, unfiltered emotion that makes music truly timeless.
And if this track is any indication, Oryah’s acoustic rap movement is just getting started.
