Are You Up On....

#2 Homeboy Sandman (Not Sandman from Re-Up Gang)

When you hear a few rappers for the first time, you precede to think, "What the fuck is going on here." Rappers that command, for whatever reason,(in my prospective of course) that thought may be: MF Doom, Ghostface, Biz Markie, maybe sometimes Jay Electronica. It's not that any one of these artists are speaking a foreign language, but that they kinda catch you off guard at first listen. Homeboy Sandman sits squarely in the middle of that list.

Dropping out Hofstra's Law School in his third year, the guy has an overall message to be gained through his music. What I take from it is "Let's Do Better". One example is a track entitled "Mean Mug", featured on his second full length LP The Good Sun. In this humorous song he requests a cease fire to all unnecessary mean mugs. In "Strange Planet" he potently asks the question of "Why? Why do we do such dumb things?" He approaches his rhymes in a whimsical yet thought provoking style. Talking to himself, dramatically altering speed of flow and cracking jokes on himself are not odd to hear in just one song. People can't help but respect an artist that genuinely makes them stop and think. Believe me, I know some rappers can seem preachy on that front. That doesn't necessarily seem to be Sandman's objective. He just flat out asks questions that seem to be very open ended.

I would recommend "The Good Sun" LP to everyone. Homeboy Sandman is one of a group of MCs giving hip hop a hope for growth in the future, not just with his skill, but also for his message.