Back to Boom Bap — Marco Mello’s debut album — is as much a tribute to rap’s golden age, as it is a modern reinterpretation. Lyrical references are sprinkled throughout the album and pay homage to the genre’s greats. The production features chopped samples and heavy low-ends reminiscent of beats by DJ Premier, Pete Rock and J Dilla. Thematically the album is firmly placed in the here and now, addressing current issues faced by Mello’s generation: fear of commitment, professional burnout, toxic masculinity and Trumpian politics.
As rap albums go, Back to Boom Bap is unusually sincere. Rather than hiding behind a tough-guy image, Mello embraces his status as a "misfit" unapologetically. He expresses his disdain for machismo (“New League of Gentlemen”), pokes fun at his own lack of tattoos (“Uninked”) and opens up about his fear of commitment (“4evava”). Mello is supported by a cast of talented young musicians from Berlin’s jazz scene and German hip hop legend DJ Stylewarz.
Back to Boom Bap — Marco Mello’s debut album — is as much a tribute to rap’s golden age, as it is a modern reinterpretation. Lyrical references are sprinkled throughout the album and pay homage to the genre’s greats. The production features chopped samples and heavy low-ends reminiscent of beats by DJ Premier, Pete Rock and J Dilla. Thematically the album is firmly placed in the here and now, addressing current issues faced by Mello’s generation: fear of commitment, professional burnout, toxic masculinity and Trumpian politics.
As rap albums go, Back to Boom Bap is unusually sincere. Rather than hiding behind a tough-guy image, Mello embraces his status as a "misfit" unapologetically. He expresses his disdain for machismo (“New League of Gentlemen”), pokes fun at his own lack of tattoos (“Uninked”) and opens up about his fear of commitment (“4evava”). Mello is supported by a cast of talented young musicians from Berlin’s jazz scene and German hip hop legend DJ Stylewarz.
Back to Boom Bap
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