Life’s all about perspective. And sometimes those perspectives overlap. California rapper, Malkovich Music, has completed his newest LP, Great Expectations, to share his tumultuous journey thus far and the sentiments behind it is universal. As 2012 comes to a close and we all look back at the accomplishments amidst the tragedies, Malkovich puts out a more serious album than prior, showing a rare maturation most emcees never attain.
When Malkovich Music raps, he’s not really rapping. It so natural to him that it seems like he’s talking to you. Although the production falls within a small range of tempos, Malkovich matches the various tones to all of them with his flow. He’s traded in his punchlines and steez for a wizened traveler’s experience. Malkovich still has that smooth ability to tell stories that play out like gangster films (“Lions In Winter” & “Through The Trees”), while working on some more soul searching themes.
On “Lies” he tackles distractions people get lost in, like religion, instead of meditating, finding their freedom within, and believing in the right things. “Cry America” is his love letter to America and despite its faults with violence and the imbalance of poverty, he can’t call any other place his home. And he reserves two tracks for the one thing we all learn from, relationships. When you’re on a date, sometimes it’s what you don’t say that matters most (“The Meaning of Eyes”). Whether it’s the way you talk about topics that don’t matter, avoiding something deliberately, or literally silence, it’s plain to see when someone’s not genuine.
What’s the worst kind of bedbugs? The ones in your head that come from emotional baggage from a relationship. Not only can it cause insomnia, ruin your appetite, disrupt your daily routine, and transform you into a mess, but you also have no chance in pursuing a new girlfriend/boyfriend if you’re not over the old one. Almost sounds worse than a Cymbalta commercial.
Maybe because watching the Bad documentary on Michael Jackson by Spike Lee over the Thanksgiving weekend was so fresh in my mind, but Malkovich lays down what I heard as his version of “Man in the Mirror” on “Waiting for You.” Essentially it’s the realization that the person he’s been waiting for his whole life is not a woman or a friend but himself. And he’s on the right path.
Malkovich’s flow reminds me of Naughty By Nature or Rakim with the constant rhyming patterns and the pairing with beats that have West Coast vibes make for an unique sound. He’s come a long way and Great Expectations is an important chapter in his rap career. It’s no surprise based on the dedication he has to Hip Hop and his confidence-the man done went to Namibia to work with a producer and finish up this project. Let’s see what he has in store for us next time.
Head to his Bandcamp to download it for the low price of free.
4 /5 bars
Malkovich Music – GREAT EXPECTATIONS – 05 Palms
Malkovich Music – Palms
Malkovich Music – GREAT EXPECTATIONS – 10 Lions In Winter f. Core Rhythm, Sum
Malkovich Music – Lions in Winter ft. Core Rhythm, Sum
