Derp Deli Dynamics
While the crowd was a little inept at call-and-response, it was because they were so eclectic. Not all of them were familiar with the conventions of Hip Hop or how to be interactive with it. This didn’t matter. We had young and old, republican and liberal, intellectuals and party-animals out to have a good time with us.
Elzhi’s ‘Lead Poison’ Is Clever, Lyrical
Musically, Elzhi has aged well. His spacey soundscapes—akin to Zion I or Kid Cudi—make this album versatile. The synth-based beats conjure up feelings of both melancholy and joy.
Aesop Rock: The Impossible Kid
His hallmark witticisms and complex, cryptic abstractions carry this album noticeably less; while still prevalent, there’s a distinctly autobiographical and introspective quality to this album.
Interview w/ Aesop Rock
Aesop Rock’s emotional compass has always paired, deftly, with his impressive command of the English language. There’s humility, exploratory self-awareness, and shocks of humor in the artist’s oeuvre.
Salute to Gabriel Teodros
Furthering his break from the archetypal rapper, his unabashed reflections on his insecurities impacted me deeply. Hip-Hop is driven by bravado, even in the conscientious circles. Teodros rejects this tone and instead offers a soberly candid voice void of self-aggrandizing pretenses.
Interview with Journalist
Journalist’s musical palette is flecked with words, strategic intonations, acute ideas. He’s been wading through hip-hop for over a decade, and in that time he has shared the booth with incisor-flashing mavericks such as Canibus. Once signed to Motown, the lyricist is now on Hardrout, his own label. Mastering the craft of internal rhymes and battle hardened metaphors, we spoke to the mc about his newest record, his...
