This Was Supposed To Be Fun
Strange Famous
2019
Rating: 7.5 prepaid marshmallows out of 10
Today in breaking news: middle-aged dude who historically loves rap but doesn’t understand the appeal of modern hip hop, greatly enjoys album by fellow middle-aged dudes. That Epic Beard Men sounds like a throwback to a past era I’m sure is just a coincidence. The group is Sage Francis (who I’ve enjoyed for a long time) and B. Dolan (who I didn’t know at all and is apparently big in the slam poetry scene, which I guess is still a thing?), and the combination of the two feels like a more cerebral version of Run The Jewels. Being close to my age, these cats came up on the same style of rap that shaped me as a teen – Gang Starr, Eric B & Rakim, EPMD, all the Native Tongues groups, Wu-Tang, etc – and much to my delight they’ve held true to that aesthetic. These songs often tell stories, frequently employ jazz samples as the foundation of the music, the guest stars (members of Atmosphere, Wu-Tang, and a few others) fit nicely in the flow…shit, there’s even goddamn record scratching! I’d be hard pressed to a name a release that felt so immediately familiar even upon first listen. “Pistol Dave” and “Shin Splints” are the stand-outs here, but truly the whole of “This Was Supposed To Be Fun” is great.
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