This afternoon, an e-mail from one of my favorite up and coming rap groups, Dallas’ A.Dd+, appeared in my inbox. It contained their latest freebie “Genocide.” I was ready for it to be good, but I wasn’t at all ready for what I heard.
“Genocide” is, for lack of a more descriptive word (and believe me extended metaphors are coming shortly), strange. It sounds like a combination of Busta’s “Touch It,” some Southern tinged house drums, a healthy heaping of Outkast, and a dash of the experimentalism that typified indie East Coast music in the late 90s (in particular, I’m thinking of Anti-Pop Consortium and some of the noisier noise rap that came out of Def Jux and co.).
Of course, it also sounds like none of those things.
It’s a genuinely refreshing and vital take on what a hip-hop song can sound like, not just a skin graft that places some rapping on a Dubstep beat or samples a Pitchfork favorite and pretends to be cool. It’s the sound of actual inspiration and even if you can’t stand it, with its complete chaos, buzzing bass, and off-putting rhythm, “Genocide” forces you to at least pause for a second and go “What the fuck is that?”
Which gets me on the road to my point. A.Dd+ has been putting out quality music since the beginning of 2011. That’s not a particularly long time, but in an era when ASAP Rocky can literally appear, release 6 songs, and several months later get signed (which is no slight to ASAP, congrats to him and I’m hoping for the best to come) that could be an entire career.
Why don’t people seem to be more interested?
They’ve got a couple of killer songs, which many of their peers are arguably missing (hell, J. Cole just sold 200,000+, and I’d argue he hasn’t recorded a song that could be considered a proper calling card…and don’t say “Lost Ones” or “Work Out”…on a sidenote, J. Cole probably gave one of his finest beats to Kendrick Lamar for “HiiiPower,” giving K Dot a signature song in the process). “Likeamug,” “Greedy,” and, now, “Genocide” stand as diverse, fantastic representations of a young group that deserves praise and recognition far beyond what it has gotten thus far (and to be fair, they’ve gotten love, but it’s hard to feel good about it when Future is apparently driving Ferraris around and YC is signing million dollar major label deals).
So, rather than providing baseless conjecture as to why they haven’t broken yet, or how they can best break on through, I’ve got a plea for you: download their music. Download their debut album, When Pigs Fly. Download their collection of free singles, Loosies. And for the love of the hip-hop gods download “Genocide” and blow your speakers out.
And, for the record, I am not a paid A.Dd+ spokesperson. I am not related to either of the members of the group. I’m not even close to being from Dallas. I’m just a fan with a platform. So I hope you take the time to check out A.Dd+’s music and that you get as excited about it as I do. Along with a handful of other artists, A.Dd+ proves that Hip-Hop isn’t artistically bankrupt. It’s just no longer a viable business. We’re in the midst of exhilarating creative times, so stop complaining about Lex Luger’s drums and Flocka’s lack of deep content and open your ears.
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8 Comments
WOW! This is very true… they basically put Dallas on their backs in a matter of months– A.DD+ HOE
I really BELEIVE if ur a fan of A.D.d+ then u would be exited for what these new and up coming rappers release,being a rapper,some music will sound better than the next,if ur a fan,be a fan,not a critic,if u choose to be a critic,that’s more like some of the
hataz A.D.d+ speaks about in songs,non beleivers,just be happy these boyz are doing something postive in their lives
Thank for listening,a true A.D.d+ fan
Unk