By Preemo
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
This isn’t what people expect when they think of a traditional hip hop artist. There has never been a rapper bold enough to name himself Earl Sweatshirt and his debut album Doris. A deeper meaning goes behind the Doris title, as Earl Sweatshirt revealed in a recent interview.
Names don’t make the music, the artists do, and Earl Sweatshirt is an artist that makes good music. A major problem with the rap game is how they want a return to the old school that never left. But, it will never be 1995 again, so people need to get used to 2013 before 2014 gets here.
Earl Sweatshirt represents what hip hop of 2013 until beyond is and he is upper echelon when it comes to his work. Doris represents the new classic and is a new standard in this new era of hip hop. Don’t think RZA is in the lab working with Earl Sweatshirt for no reason, people are tuning in for a reason.
Much like the legends before him, Earl Sweatshirt went into his debut album at a young age with his focus right. Unlike the current mainstream trend in hip hop, Earl Sweatshirt did not force the collaborations, he simply worked with who he vibed with and this includes Tyler, The Creator, his Odd Future cohort. Earl Sweatshirt rounds out the guest appearances with other names that include Mac Miller, Casey Veggies, Domo Genesis, and Vince Staples.
Unorthodox is the best way to describe Doris, as Earl Sweatshirt tells a story that is unlike any other that has impacted the world and his unique rhyming style paired with his distinct voice make his words stick out. Due to the sheer amount of albums from bigger, established, stars, Doris will go unnoticed by a lot of people, but years later the album will be reflected on simply because of its overall greatness.
From the singles, such as “Chum,” to the tracks tucked away on the album like “20 Wave Caps” with Domo Genesis and “523,” Earl Sweatshirt put together a great body of work.
Hip Hop Vibe’s Rating: 9/10
Follow Preemo on Twitter @OfficialPreemo.
