Life can be a headache. But it’s always beautiful.
The same goes for almost anything worthwhile; love can be lost, family can be distant strangers, and dreams can be deferred and dry up like a raisin in the sun. (Shout out to Langston Hughes.) And then there’s art--- those confusing creations that are hardly ever agreed upon unless their influence produces measurable commerce. Yet, it is within art that every headache is allowed to be washed beautiful. Divine Suns alum ANON The Griot explores this paradox on his solo release A Beautiful Headache.
For those familiar with the Suns, A Beautiful Headache will not disappoint; the beats bang, the bars are sharp, and the content is real. However; as the Griot is a bit enigmatic and slightly extra, the envelope definitely gets pushed. This is ANON unleashed: unabashedly and honestly spittin and cussin about almost everything.
William Northam handles the lion’ share of the production. His signature stamp blends classic and diverse influences with thumping drums and bass. It’s almost a perfect soundscape for ANON to present his Hip Hop pedigree on the opening track, Preach Brother. It also lays a nice foundation for the Plex Long and Diligent assisted Nothing Greater and the enigmatic Square Root of Juugg (with Vere, The HunchPunch Champ and the Griot’s own sun, Prince Eli.) Charlie Pazinets aka Charlie P. plays the proverbial dueling banjos of love and lust on White Flag and Right Kwick (Saturday Sinner) and Divine Suns mainstay Dan Johns drops some of the banginest (yup, made up word) and skillful production on the title track. Then there’s the meditative Falls into Place (Love Yourself) and the rowdy romp of Disco.
A Beautiful Headache is a paradox in itself. While definitively crafted for Hip Hop heads, its focus is a bit loftier. Essentially, it is a peek into the mind of an artist; a man who is content to wrestle with a lifelong passion while presiding over a universal and internally waged war. “Being an artist means to have both esteem issues and a God complex.”
Give it a spin and see if you can separate the beautiful from the headache.
Visit www.webeautifulpeople.com and customize A Beautiful Headache and We Beautiful People gear.
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