Alexipharmic – American Beauty

I love rap music. As a blonde haired, blue eyed girl who usually reads children’s books and classical literature I don’t quite fit the general rap music mold, but nonetheless the way a really good rapper will sync their words to the smooth pounding rhythm of the backbeat really sinks into my bones. I think the draw is in the power and respect that great rappers give words. Their passion is unavoidable. You can hear it in their voices; they really believe that words have the power to change the norm.

I was thrilled when I first listened through Alexipharmic’s newest album American Beauty and have found something new in it each listen after. Intelligent, insightful, and creative lyrics speak out the problems of society, specifically in American life and culture. Early in the album he sets the stage for the constructive criticism of a country he loves and wishes to see progress, declaring, “true patriotism lies in the desire to see your country improve.” In doing this he balances two ever-burdensome extremes: the temptation to critique from a moral high ground and the inclination to blindly praise. Alexipharmic lives in a very measured balance of these extremes. Instead of proclaiming his own worth, Alexipharmic counts himself among those perpetuating the problems he points to. This in my mind earns him the highest credibility.

Aside from the content, the sound of the album is great; in keeping with classic hip-hop. He names The Beastie Boys as influential in his music making and you can absolutely hear it. Not flashy like so much mainstream rap and hip-hop, Alexipharmic relies on that age-old combination of classic musical sounds and hip-hop beats. A combination especially in sync with his message, that harkens to a unity between our country’s origins and a future we can still hope to achieve.

Well, I certainly can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this album. If you are into really good hip-hop, you’ll find it in Alexipharmic’s American Beauty. What could be greater than a great hip-hop album with a great message? How about a rap artist who gives away 50 percent of his net album sales to charity and 100 percent of the net proceeds from his upcoming tour? That’s right. A struggling musician backing his words with actions. Buy the CD and feel the fresh air blow through our culture of excess.

By Eva Gross