Sometimes the most honest music comes from the spaces between certainty and doubt.

Blake Kelly knows this territory well. The Charlotte-based artist has spent his time moving between basketball courts, college classrooms, and recording studios, collecting experiences that fuel his latest EP, Guidance.

“Left or Right” serves as the centrepiece of this four-track collection, and it arrives with the kind of laid-back confidence that suggests Kelly has found his voice.

The track doesn’t shout for attention. Instead, it settles into your consciousness like a conversation with someone who gets it.

The song’s title tells you everything you need to know about its core message. We all face those moments when life presents us with choices, and neither path seems obviously correct.

Kelly captures this universal experience without resorting to heavy-handed metaphors or overwrought emotion. His approach feels refreshingly direct.

What makes “Left or Right” particularly compelling is how it reflects Kelly’s own multifaceted existence. Here’s an artist who genuinely lives the balance he raps about.

College student by day, basketball player by passion, musician by calling. This isn’t manufactured authenticity – it’s the real thing.

The production on the track complements Kelly’s reflective mood perfectly. The beats don’t overwhelm his vocals, creating space for his lyrics to breathe.

This restraint shows maturity, especially for a rising artist who could easily fall into the trap of overproduction.

Kelly’s flow on “Left or Right” demonstrates technical skill without showing off.

He rides the rhythm naturally, letting his words carry the weight rather than relying on flashy delivery. This approach serves the song’s contemplative nature well.

The broader Guidance EP, released on July 10, 2025, positions Kelly as an artist worth watching.

The project includes tracks like “Intuition” and “It Was a Dream” featuring Magilove, each contributing to a cohesive statement about growth and self-discovery.

Charlotte’s music scene has been gaining national attention in recent years, and Kelly represents the kind of authentic voice that could help put the city on the hip-hop map.

His connection to local culture runs deep, and “Left or Right” has already started resonating through playlists and social media in the area.

The track’s relatability extends beyond its local roots. Anyone who has stood at a crossroads – literal or metaphorical – will find something to connect with here.

Kelly doesn’t pretend to have all the answers, which makes his perspective more trustworthy.

There’s something refreshing about an artist who acknowledges uncertainty rather than projecting false confidence.

“Left or Right” succeeds because it meets listeners where they actually are, not where they think they should be.

Kelly’s background as a student-athlete brings a different perspective to hip-hop. The discipline required to excel in multiple areas shows up in his music’s structure and focus. He doesn’t waste words or beats.

The song’s impact has been growing organically, spreading through Charlotte’s cultural networks and beyond. This grassroots momentum suggests Kelly has tapped into something genuine rather than manufactured.

As hip-hop continues to evolve and diversify, artists like Kelly represent the genre’s future.

His willingness to explore vulnerability while maintaining street credibility shows artistic maturity beyond his years.

“Left or Right” works because it doesn’t try too hard. Kelly trusts his material and his delivery, letting the song’s natural strengths carry it forward. This confidence, paradoxically, comes from embracing uncertainty.

The track’s success points toward a promising future for both Kelly and the Guidance EP.

If this is what he can accomplish while juggling multiple commitments, his full focus on music could yield remarkable results.

Kelly has created something that feels both personal and universal, specific to his experience yet broad enough for anyone to find their own meaning within it. That balance is harder to achieve than it might appear.

“Left or Right” leaves you thinking about your own moments of indecision, and how those pauses between choices often contain their own kind of wisdom.