Denmark Vessey’s ‘Martin Lucid Dream’ and Villain Park’s ‘Same Ol Sh*t’ Are the Chairman’s Choice

Chairman's Choice: Denmark Vessey & Villain Park
Words: Chairman Mao
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Winter 2015 issue of of XXL Magazine, on stands now.

There’s much to love about Denmark Vessey’s Martin Lucid Dream EP (Rappers I Know). Its conceptual weight -- a sobering assessment of our “post-racial” society; and its quirky/murky sonic milieu -- all post-Dilla drum patterns, distortion n’ soul loops and intermittent pertinent dialog. But mostly there’s its wry truths and humor. While Denmark loves a good diatribe, he rarely settles for surface targets. Which is why a warning against the ills of synthetic weed (“Don’t Smoke K2”) is actually an indictment of Uncle Sam and pharmaceutical biz malfeasance. Or why a seemingly too-easy knock on commercial rappers (“Nerd Niggas”) turns brutally honest in its self-scrutiny (“I ain’t tryin’ to not survive/So what do I do?/Rhyme about the same shit: nigga, get money”). Most brilliantly, an impulse at the behest of loved ones to “Think Happy Thoughts” begets a pragmatic rejoinder -- “Keep Your Hoes in Check.” Because, as Dream illuminates so well, this life requires that you excel at doing both in some respect or another.

To date, the recipe for 1990s revivalism has simply required an ear for expert emulation. And while that’s often impressive as an exercise, when the emulation extends to that decade’s aesthetic puritanical streak, the boom-bap gets decidedly boom- flat. Based on their affection for samples and vintage fluid cadences L.A.’s Villain Park are regularly pegged as “throwback.” That said, the quartet’s self-deprecatingly titled Same Ol Shit EP (Villain Park Company) is way more parts inspiration than emulation. Its exuberance is the spiritual heir to Likwit crew abandon but ultimately indebted to nothing but kids being kids enjoying rhyming for rhyming’s sake. Memorably, “Brain Cells’s” hyperactive boastfest and “Who U Be’s” “Naima”-buoyed declarations of identity stutter with manic energy. Best of all is “Slow Motion,” a funk-ed up anthem with a catchy-as-hell hook that’d have done Nate Dogg proud. Park jams.

Recommended: Cavalier, LemOnade EP (Vibe Music Collective)

Check out more from XXL’s Winter 2015 issue including Kendrick Lamar’s cover story, Rick Ross' forever hustle, Silento's takeover with "Watch Me (Whip/NaeNae)," Rhymesayers' legendary movement, Eye Candy India Love and Show & Prove with Bryson Tiller and  Tory Lanez and CeeLo Green reminiscing on Goodie Mob's Soul Food album.

See New Music Releases for January 2016