There are some lyrics that late Gang Starr frontman Guru rapped in the group's 1994 classic "Mostly Tha Voice," that defined a critical aspect of hip-hop.

"It's mostly the voice that gets you up," Guru raps. "It's mostly the voice that makes you buck. A lot of rappers got flavor, and some got skills, but if your voice ain't dope then you need to chill."

While there are undoubtedly thousands, if not millions, of artists around the world attempting to produce a holiday hit and even more attempting to score the crossover potential of a female singer duet with a hard-edged rapper.

So what is it that makes "Before The Snow," the new solo single from rapper Kanto of the South Korean boy band TROY, rise above the rest?

Kanto has a voice that is truly all his own.

Alternating between a laid back rap style reminiscent of Slick Rick or Snoop Dogg and a rapid fire rhyme delivery almost akin to RZA from Wu-Tang Clan, Kanto finds his own destinctive niche on "Before The Snow," with some help from the two-member K-pop girl group As One. "Before The Snow" was released on Wednesday.

While sleigh bells jangle over the beat and the ladies' vocals soar above a hard hitting drum loop and a jazzily heartfelt piano part, it becomes clear that this is the right song for this moment we are currently living in.

Who couldn't use three minutes of relaxation these days? Though the idea that a hip-hop song would do this would probably defy most people's expectations, certainly most people over 30.

And at the center of it all is Kanto's baritone rap voice, delivering a fresh sound and keeping the proceedings from ever getting too smarmy.

"Before The Snow" is the second single Kanto has released this year after a two-and-a-half year break since his last solo project. Let's hope he keeps his solo material coming

This is one rapper who deserves the microphone for Christmas.

Watch the music video for Kanto of TROY's new solo release "Before The Snow" RIGHT HERE