Hip hop looks to be back in the capable hands of those who can actually handle that kind of responsibility; Kendrick’s game was taken to yet another level with How to Pimp a Butterfly, Future continues to release club banger after club banger, and even though he’s basically an actor in rappers clothing, Drake has once again taken the reigns as the group’s leader. And then of course there’s ego maniac Kanye West who continues to command attention no matter where he goes. Well thankfully for us the game is still picking up some promising newbies in the form of Vic Mensa and Chance the Rapper and this year’s crop will certainly look add to the list. Here’s a quick peak at some of the best hip hop artists playing SXSW this year.
First up is Vince Staples out of Long Beach, California. He’s not technically a newbie as his album Summertime 06 has been out for a while but his ability to make you nod your head to his signature West Coast sound, in spite of the fact he’s rapping about some pretty depressing shit, is something that may be a new experience for most. His use of tight, bass heavy, and stripped down beats forces you to put your focus on his grimy rhymes and his vivid storytelling. He’s like your ghetto tour guide to the hood. I rate him as FRESH and suggest you pop in.
https://soundcloud.com/search?q=vince%20staples
Next up is another California native that goes by the name of Anderson.Paak. The best way to describe him is to imagine if Jamiroquai could rap. He makes nice soulful music that you can groove to and possibly have your girlfriend give you a strip tease to; if you have that kind of game that is. He’s already worked with the likes of Schoolboy Q and BJ the Chicago Kid and he’s well on his way to earning a rating of FRESH.
https://soundcloud.com/andersonpaak
Speaking of BJ the Chicago Kid, I previewed him for last year’s SXSW festival. He was just getting his feet wet then but now it looks as though he may finally be ready to take his act to the next level. This Manny Fresh look-a-like obviously hails from the Windy City and he’s already put in work with heavy hitters like Kanye and Kendrick. He’s a deep singer-songwriter who used to only write depressing songs but I guess he finally realized that Frank Ocean already has the Black Radiohead vibe on lock, so now he’s starting to write songs that can actually be universally received. I’m still not sure if his live solo show will be any good given the fact his best songs involve guest appearances by actual rappers; so for now I will give him a rating of kind of WEAK.
https://soundcloud.com/bjthechicagokid
Next up is Odd Future veteran Domo Genesis. He brings the usual alternative flow that you’d normally expect to hear from this crew; he rhymes about how fresh his style is, how much he loves to party, and the fact that he smokes weed on the regular…oh wait, that’s not alternative, that’s just hip hop. But it’s his approach to these subjects and the underground beats that go along with it that helps separate him. When I first heard Go Outside, I found myself openly dancing in front of a classroom full of stunned children without even noticing it, and that’s real hip hop right there. I rate this kid as FRESH and suggest you check him out before he realizes the industry is bullshit and he decides to return to the skate park.
https://soundcloud.com/search?q=domo%20genesis
And the last artist to check out is Tory Lanez. I give him props for trying his best to be the ghetto representative of Canada but it’s hard for me to buy his act since I’ve been to East Vancouver and saw some of the scariest white heroin fiends I’ve ever seen in my life. Their bum rushing me for my McDonalds was by far scarier than any of his neck tattoos. But he does manage to rap and sing like fellow Canadian Drizzy, so he has that going for him. The one knock I have is that he falls into trap music hell one too many times for my taste but he does have a propensity to keep the party going, so I would suggest popping in on him if you have the chance. I’m withholding a rating for now. https://soundcloud.com/search?q=torey%20lanez
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