on repeat: Earl Sweatshirt - Chum

I've always cut a lot of slack for OFWGKTA. the obnoxiousness, political incorectness and general fuckeduppery has bothered me less than I would have liked it to. can't help but somehow respect unapologetic clowning around, offending everyone and not giving a fuck. plus it was new and different if quite consistent nahmean. when they good - collectively or individually - I really dig it. can't say hearing a kid spitting you know it's not rape bitch if you like it etc ever felt comfortable - yep, much of the rape n kill (n mince the bodies then eat them vomit n eat again) stuff spat by 16-year old Earl on Earl is a bit you know. disturbing? - still 16-year old Earl's flow was dope as fuck.

I'm way more comfortable listening to lil Thebe Neruda Kgositsile - now 18, a mere couple years later - reflect on that and more in Chum.


the loop and the drum pattern are addictive, the video's beautiful, tight, meticulous lyrics effortlessly and effectively delivered which comes as no surprise. Thebe's not quite Quik yet but he's getting there quick. maybe. and if you still think hip hop's not poetry then you don't know what poetry is. the way-too-grown-upness of it - something sinister to it no doubt and he seems proper depressed too. still somehow I feel he'll be fine if his genius doesn't fall into wrong hands and burn out, hope he's as strong as he's dope. the way he's come back is kinda reassuring. instead of riding the hype and putting out a rushed boring overconceptualised album with a couple of hits on it (I'm gonna have to write that post about you know who after all just to get it out of the way) - he features on a couple songs, waits till the hype blows over then puts out this er... life summary. a kinda closure with little indication of what's to come other than that it may well be a much more interesting groove than the one he left for Samoa. or not. Doris LP is to drop in May apparently see what happens.  on repeat.