A little while back, I posted a few tracks from Nickelus F in which he rhymed over some Portishead songs. Those songs were what peaked my interest in him, but he has grabbed my attention with his most recent release titled Heathen. A big part of hip-hop is being authentic and despite the increasing commercialism of the genre, it is still almost always grounded in reality and stays away from abstract lyrics that speak of abstract topics. However, while every artist tries to seem authentic, shockingly few are.
This became incredibly apparent when it was revealed that Rick 'Officer' Ross was a former correctional officer. While I don't think all hip-hop artists have to be held to the reality of their own lives, it seems that if you are going to make personal boasts (as Rick Ross did when he referred to his cocaine peddling days) they should be rooted in some form of reality. Mainly I just love the many awesome photoshop pictures that have come from the Rick Ross correctional officer fiasco. 
Despite many hip-hop fans coming to the shocking realization that many rappers most likely have not led the lives that directly correspond to their lyrics, Nickelus F is incredibly believable throughout Heathen. Albums that are honest are often albums that are very personal. Therefore, it comes of no surprise that the best albums are ones that convince the listener that they are listening to an accurate portrayal of the artists personal life. Maybe image matters after all.
Despite many hip-hop fans coming to the shocking realization that many rappers most likely have not led the lives that directly correspond to their lyrics, Nickelus F is incredibly believable throughout Heathen. Albums that are honest are often albums that are very personal. Therefore, it comes of no surprise that the best albums are ones that convince the listener that they are listening to an accurate portrayal of the artists personal life. Maybe image matters after all.
1 comment:
i didn't know that was revealed, but i'm not shocked. fugazy
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