The rap music I listened to this year:
Currensy– Gold and Chrome is the most important song that isn’t about police brutality written this year. Currency discussed raising a child during the emergence of COVID. The writing method allows a clear description of the sea change that occurred within weeks. Currency deserves every award musicians receive for this song. “Gold and Chrome” is historic.
Currensy isn’t Trump, and I don’t know if he is a middle class democrat.
Public Enemy- State of the Union produced by Premier told you which white backpackers were voting for Trump. If someone who complains about the current state of rap couldn’t appreciate Chuck D assailing a president as fascist over a Premier production as good as his work with Group Home, Jeru, or Gangstarr then they were a Trump Supporter. Once this would reveal itself in a conversation, I would point out that Trump was once friends with Russell Simmons and likes rap so maybe he looked at this as an accomplishment that P.E. dissed him.
Lil Baby – Bigger Picture discussed the protests while encouraging voting from the perspective of someone who wouldn’t normally be considered political but felt the need to save our country. I wondered if Kanye tried to get Lil Baby to vote for him while they were making music a few months later.
RJD2 – A Salute to the Blood Bowl Legends scratched a DJ Przm vocal sample in a deejay composition that’s name referenced a skateboarding and graffiti spot. The Blood Bowl is literally 5 minutes away from where I’m typing this. RJD2 was successful in a tribute to Bustown skateboarding, and Hip Hop Culture.
RIP DJ PRZM
Snarls – Burst – This Columbus, Ohio band combined reverb, and sound with incredibly catchy and intimate songwriting.
Run the Jewels – Killer Mike was the most beloved person in rap as he campaigned for Bernie Sanders, and helped encourage Atlanta to vote, and be productive after the police murders.
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