OF RAP AND
EXPERIMENT The experimental hip-hop artists that shouldn’t be skipped
TARIQ LASHLEY a&e staff
Today, many live with the pigeonhole view that hiphop and rap are unvaried — basic and homogeneous. From popular to relatively unknown, these three unconventional and experimental artists push the boundaries of the hip hop genre.
JPEGMAFIA
While JPEGMAFIA is the least popular artist on the list, he deserves a place in anyone’s playlists. His albums are bubbly and experimental, with musical productions that make the LP pleasant to listen to. While JPEGMAFIA is the least lyrical of the three artists featured, he makes up for it with charm and iconic background tracks. Unlike Earl Sweatshirt’s signature flow, JPEGMAFIA has a diverse discography that boasts various musical styles. Some tracks can be pumped to on aux while others are perfect for relaxing; several songs are simply colorful in sound while still sounding enjoyable.
Favorite Albums:
“Veteran,” “All My Heroes are Cornballs”
MF DOOM By far the most popular and successful of the three artists reviewed, MF DOOM has recently experienced a resurgence in listeners due to TikTok. I found DOOM early in the first few months of quarantine, and he quickly became one of my top 10 favorite artists of all time. DOOM is undoubtedly one of the best lyricists of the past few decades, and his use of unique and esoteric samples makes his music even more engaging. Albums are embedded with samples from old cartoons to write stories spanning the rise of Marvel supervillain Victor Von Doom to a concept album composed about food. If I had to suggest one artist to take away from this list, it’d be DOOM.
Favorite Albums:
Favorite Songs:
“MADVILLAINY,” “MM… FOOD”
“1539 N. Calvert,” “BALD! (Remix)”
Favorite Songs:
Earl Sweatshirt
“All Caps,” “Rhymes Like Dimes”
I used to pay little attention to Earl Sweatshirt, but after spending some time listening to albums like “Doris” or “IDLSIDGO,” Earl has joined the ranks of some of my favorite recent artists. His heavy lyrical flow combines with a melancholic lo-fi production to craft a discography that can easily be played on repeat. Even his more disliked songs, such as the controversial “EAST,” can grow on any listener. Distinct from the traditional hype hip-hop, Earl’s songs have become one of my favorite types of headphone music. For fans of old-school Tyler the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt will be a welcome treat.
Favorite Songs: “Huey,” “Chum”
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A&E
Favorite Albums:
“Doris,” “Some Rap Songs”
SPREAD DESIGN BY TARIQ LASHLEY | EMILY WALKER
