1. Death Grips - The Money Store
Ah yes, number one! And I must admit, this really wasn't a hard choice at all for me to make...like at all...at all. 1999 was excellent but I haven't legitimately enjoyed an album this year quite like I've enjoyed listening to The Money Store.
If this is your first time hearing of Death Grips, first of all find the nearest wall and slam your temple against it now. No that was mean, and I probably should warn you that Death Grips' sound is not for everyone. It's very experimental, hip-hop, unorthodox, aggressive, dark, and MC Ride's voice will not be loved by many. If you have previously enjoyed aggressive metal, punk, or any experimental music then this style of hip-hop will be easier to listen to for you compared to someone who's coming off of listening to say, Wale or Drake.
MC Ride of Death Grips portrays a character in his music that is a complete 180 to his actual self. The character is scarred, violent, and graphic at times, but it's just that...a character. MC Ride as a person is surprisingly timid and soft spoken, only amplifying the appreciation of Ride's writing when you realize what type of person is actually behind the mic.
I was really not into Death Grips' debut mix-tape Exmilitary, was it too abrasive for me? Probably so, but it didn't stop me from giving the group another try with The Money Store. And am I glad that I did. After giving The Money Store a chance I'm starting to listen to Exmilitary in portions to see if I like it the second time around, crossing fingers.
What separates The Money Store from Exmilitary? Simple, the sound. This album is much more catchy and melodically appealing to a wider audience than Exmilitary. At times, even a little poppy, which oddly enough works as Death Grips keeps their edge but just sprinkles a little "catch and pop" in the middle.
In summary, Death Grips is not a hip-hop group that will appeal to most, in fact I think maybe a handful of people I know would even give two songs a listen. Most would just rip out their speakers and probably recite a Holy Prayer of some kind after. I'm an open book when it comes to art so the style of it doesn't put me in a judgmental state. I will say if you asked me a year ago that I'd enjoy a Death Grips album like this, I'd have to catch my breath from the hysterical laughter. Anyways, there it is my list for the top 5 music projects of 2012 so far.
1. Death Grips - The Money Store
No comments:
Post a Comment