It’s tricky, knowing the authentically desperate and violent world Keef’s music comes from (and the comfortable, secure world I come from), to feel entirely guiltless about promoting that music for its sheer ENTERTAINMENT value, but this is something I have to face, and to admit: the violence and sexism and aggression of “Back From The Dead” is far from an “unfortunate” obstacle standing in the way of my appreciation for it. The nastiness of it is a big part of why I like it.
Just as metallers like metal for the musicianship of it, the insane double kick-drum barrages, the shredding guitar solos, the guttural heft of a singer’s roar, fans of heavy gangsta rap like the hyperactive drum-fills of trap beats, the dramatic synth/string lines and the quality of a rappers voice (as well as, of course, the ear-catching quality of their lyrics). But metallers also like metal because of the darkness of the lyrical themes, the masculine rage that runs through the imagery and lifestyle associated with it as well as the music.
I think many fans of trap rap (myself included) are – even if secretly, and semi-ashamedly – fans of the violence of the lyrics, the sense of danger and derangement and so on that it evokes. For listeners like me, living worlds away from the authentic danger this music describes, it can be uncomfortable to consider the aspect of cultural tourism/voyeurism going on here. But all that stuff is left aside (at least consciously) when a beat completely fires you up, when a rapper starts shouting about slitting his enemies throats and you start rapping about slitting your enemies throats along with them.
I enjoy the coldness of it (Keef’s delivery actually very calm-in-the-storm rather than shouty, sometimes sing-songy, seemingly detached from the mania of it all, a bit like Gucci’s can be), the hostility of it, even the very misery of it. Misery, egomania and anger – these are all emotional states as strong and intoxicating as happiness, humility and love, even if their effect in the ‘real’ world of human interaction is ruinous and hardly worth celebrating. To have that button pushed by music – is that morally questionable? Or is it just fun? And certainly less dangerous than having that button pushed by punching someone in the face again and again?
This is what metal-heads talk about in “Head Bangers Odyssey” when describing the rush of listening to that music – that this dark side to our natures always exists, and that it can be healthy – not to mention thrilling – to have that side exorcised/exercised by brutal music. Can, then, an analysis of trap-rap (a shit term, but convenient) be safely, or credibly conducted with less emphasis on hand-wringing, and more emphasis on fist-pumping?