"Down and Out" off 4EvaNaDay came on shuffle in my truck today and I was reminded once again why Big K.R.I.T. remains my favorite southern rapper since Outkast, Ludacris, Clifford Harris, and No-Longer-Young Jeezy were in their prime. After listening to the track for a minute or so I switched to my favorite track off that mixtape, "4EvaNaDay (Theme)." It's my favorite because it doesn't even need lyrics and it might still be my favorite track. The crooning female sample that opens accompanied by a vibrant intermingling of hi hats and snares is intoxicating. "They said it couldn't be forevaaa, wouldn't be forevaaa, the grain ain't enough you gotta mix it with the leathaaa..." is simply the vocal cherry on top. I ended up taking the iPod off shuffle and keeping it on the mixtape. The summer soundtrack of 2 summers ago that brought me joy and helped me mentally escape at times from a difficult period of my life after a long relationship ended, 4EvaNaDay is brilliant as a whole. Other gems include "Country Rap Tunes" (a simple yet sensational ode to the south) and "Red Eye" (a beautiful illustration of the tenuous nature of a romance that has potential but just can't get off the ground) The entire thing is, as always, produced by K.R.I.T. himself and is as musically rich as mixtapes (or albums for that matter) come. The tracks stir emotions ranging from utter euphoria to sorrow and everything in between.
This is how much of K.R.I.T.'s production makes me feel. Excited and relaxed at the same time; happy, and like I'm somewhere deep in Mississippi next to a Lake in a box chevy pulling up to a cook out. He has perfected his craft. His beats squeak like the wheels of a rusty bike and churn like Grandma's butter. I don't think you can truly appreciate his music if you didn't grow up somewhere in the south. Listening to K.R.I.T. brings to mind a lot of the usual imagery that rap music does, yet at the same time it reminds me of walking down to fish at my great grandmother's pond in the woods of Marietta. The fact that this combination of imagery is possible is astounding.
I was first introduced to K.R.I.T. by my friend Will right after Krit Wuz Here came out, and I found "Children of the World" to be mesmerizing thematically and sonically. After that, it was "Voices" that ultimately sold me on the idea that this Meridian, Mississippi native was the future of southern rap: (lines below at the 2:36 mark)
Lately I been feelin like f*** it / heaven's in my face but Lord knows I can't touch it
Plus I heard the angel wings was kinda heavy / scared to put em on my back so I threw em on the Chevy
Death knocking on my door I can get it / looking through the peephole in case I ain't ready
F*** this rap s*** yeah I said it / on a road to the riches ain't no telling where I'm headed
These lines drift over a chilling combination of choral voices and chimes and leave a lasting impact on me every time I listen to the song. I could listen to that sequence on loop for hours. K.R.I.T. has a unique ability to paint a complete picture of life. The good, the bad, the spiritual, the painful, the wonderful, the shameful, the inspiring.
I found the YouTube video below tonight as I was pondering the tracks I ran into earlier today, and though it is old and fairly nondescript, watching it made me smile. Though he just performs a couple tracks live on Sway's radio show, K.R.I.T.'s ever-present earnestness is on display as always. Being pretentious or disingenuous have simply never been part of Justin Scott's existence. He is smart and savvy, yet humble and appreciative of the moment. Sounds a bit like his music doesn't it. I appreciate how much he seems to truly enjoy having the opportunity to perform his beloved work. Watching him perform it live reminds me that he is not just a great producer, but also a deft lyricist. Though he's not the technician of a Kendrick Lamar, he has a snappiness to his words that blends well with his slow overly southern drawl. It's a unique and addictive voice. He forcefully punches certain words out while leaning into others. Take for example one of my all time favorite lines of his, from Country Rap Tunes, delivered at the 5:18 mark of the following video:
Smart sound repetition in creatively sequenced syllabic bursts are essentially what keep me coming back for more when it comes to rap music. This moment is a textbook example of the types of lyrical sequences that I can just listen to on loop and recite at random moments throughout the day without ever tiring of them.
I had the opportunity to see Big K.R.I.T. at Cat's Cradle in Carborro, NC in the fall of 2012. He closed out the show with "I Got This," and for those three minutes I and about 400 others were freed from all reality just engulfed by probably the most rambunctious track off of Live From The Underground, K.R.I.T.'s major label debut. Those moments in life are simply great. I think many times what we ultimately want out of art is for it to allow us to forget about anything else in life for a moment and just enjoy an expression of indescribable humanity. K.R.I.T.'s art allows its listeners to do that. After the show ended, he stayed on stage for a good half an hour signing autographs and taking pictures with any fans who asked. Walking out of Cat's cradle with my friend Ben, I even asked one of K.R.I.T.'s homeboys who was walking out to the tour bus carrying some of K.R.I.T.'s belongings, if I could have the wooden Multi Alumni chain he had worn on stage. He simply said no. Still, I couldn't help but think that there are plenty of successful musicians who would not be as gracious or as approachable to their fans.
If I ever got a chance to sit down with Justin Scott I would first thank him for all the ways his music has touched and inspired and excited me. I would then ask why he, like so many others in this genre, fails to exclude misogyny and an over-emphasis on a hyper-masculinized view of sexuality from his music. My guess is that he would say he recognizes it as an unfortunate aspect of life in some circles (particularly those originating in poverty) and therefore feels it necessary to include and embrace it in his music to keep it authentic to the culture. But I do feel that he over-endorses it, and goes beyond analyzing it artistically. Particularly in songs like "What U Mean," I feel he sells himself short creatively. Especially considering that in my opinion, K.R.I.T. essentially approaches all of the other stereotypical "sins" of the rap genre (money, drugs, crime) from a perspective of wise contemplation and criticism.
But no music is perfect, and that's ultimately the beauty of music. The beauty of K.R.I.T.'s is that he nearly perfectly engages all of life's imperfections. The cover of 4EvaNaDay is appropriate in its depiction of his music's juxtapositions. And he does it all through a deeply spiritual lens with Christian roots that I can appreciate as a theological thinker. I look forward to what his second major label project, Cadillactica has in store for all of us listeners. I was a little disappointed to discover it will be his first project featuring guest producers, but I imagine he at least worked alongside them as he has always been one to want his fingerprints all over his work.
Until then, I'm gonna keep vibing to Krit Wuz Here, 4EvaNaDay, and The Great Southern Hope's many other outstanding projects. Perhaps he will in fact end up a King Remembered In Time.
