Is a new wave of consciousness in music being [re]born? If not re-born, most certainly revisited by new independent artist, John Graham.
Although he may not be the first to exclude profanity from his rhymes [i.e. Will Smith], he’s certainly making a point to keep his music 100% ego free, exclusion of the typical misogynistic, braggadocio themed lyrics that flood our radios and boom boxes today.
When I first interviewed him over a year ago, he had released his mixtape, Ascension Methods. Setting out to differentiate his style from ‘commercially’ successful artists, the release featured songs like Meditation Staycation, The Business of Being Born (interlude), and The End of the Beginning, inviting listeners to hear his perspectives on meditating, hospitals being a business, and being more conscious about the food we eat.
Fast forward to now, he’s back with his newest EP, Success in Retrograde. Not straying from the conscious minded themes from his previous releases, the album opens up with The Ground Floor, introducing listeners to what he defines as ego free music. Leading into the next track is Modus Operandi (M.O.), where he offers no apologies for his lyrical views along with dispelling his disdain for the industry and the world we live in.
On songs Veterans of Foreign Wars and the bonus track Back 2 Basics, he doesn’t shy away from his advocacy for independent artists supporting each other and becoming more informed on the ‘powers that be’ [record labels].
The songs I took to the most were The Honeymoon’s Over, which featured clips from a Dave Chappelle interview I recall watching a few years ago on Inside the Actor’s Studio and Dear Diary. Both these tracks are great starters lyrically and sonically to who John Graham is as an artist.
Overall, it’s a solid EP that still delivers the aggressive, arrogant flows that dominate hip hop less the profanity, evoking awareness for some and becoming an acquired taste for others.
Success in Retrograde is available for download January 11th. Preview some of it here.
Do you think profane-less lyrics/music will be a new trend in music? Let us know your thoughts.