Jared Evan: So cool, it hurts.

Introducing Jared Evan: If you couldn't tell by the title of this post, we are OBSESSED with him, his genre-bending, neo-soul-meets-hip-hop-meets-R&B vibe, his face (oops!), and his totally addictive new album, Boom Bap & Blues. If you've never heard of Jared Evan, then you're gonna be like "THANK YOU SO MUCH, BUZZWORTHY!!" because this dude is the real deal.

Listen to Jared Evan's Boom Bap & Blues after the jump.

Jared actually got his start in the New York 'burbs (Great Neck, specifically), where he aspired to be a drummer (Keith Moon was his childhood idol -- righteous), taught himself how to play a bunch more instruments, and basically listened to everything from The Roots to Al Green and Led Zeppelin. At 18, when most kids are doing keg stands toiling away at college, Jared managed to snag the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival's Spit 16 competition! That led to his doing an opening gig for Lupe Fiasco (!!) in 2008, and finally, Jared inked his first label deal with Interscope (cue: that dejected "I've spent too much time stalking successful people on Facebook" feeling).

Check out these standout tracks on Boom Bap & Blues: "Uma Thurman" sounds like a badass remix of a Justin Timberlake jam off Future Sex Love Sounds and a B-side Beck record. No, seriously. And then there's "Toast," another standout track featuring Buzzworthy fave and "Cake Boy" singer, Hoodie Allen, not to mention the massive Kanye vibes radiating through Jared's Joey Bada$$-assisted jam, "Black and White." So, do yourself a favor and grab your (imaginary) boyfriend, sit back with a bottle of lemon-lime seltzer, and listen to Jared's Boom Bap & Blues from start to finish. Additionally, how great would it be if we could turn that imaginary boyfriend into a reality and swap the seltzer for a nice bottle of Merlot. Maybe one day...

+ Listen to Jared Evan's Boom Bap & Blues.

Photo credit: Jared Evan