Original image of Sujxct 5, DJ Lucas and Papo2oo4 by There Stands the Glass.
I made "Strange Art Rap Decisions" on Wednesday, November 22. A friend with compatible taste encouraged me to attend a rap show at Farewell headlined by DJ Lucas. I’m glad I took his advice even though it meant spending $20 on cover charges ($10 at Farewell and $10 for a rock show next door at Howdy) and standing on cold cement for almost four hours.
Supported by the dynamic Subjxct 5 and Papo2oo4, Lucas’ outlandish raps referenced Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Carrie Underwood and Eminem. The insular Dark World crew “from out the woods” of Western Massachusetts is reminiscent of Kansas City’s Black Clover and the Twin Cities’ Doomtree collectives.
Standing amid three dozen people, I wondered why the immensely talented trio isn’t better known. Are the literary references too brainy? Is its musicology (Papo2oo4 shouted out the Kansas City cult figure Rich the Factor) excessively geeky? Maybe the crew’s overt drugginess is a barrier.
Also at Farewell: Paris Williams (pop-rap with guitar and drums), Lil Heavn (Lil Peep-er) and N1n4 Freakquency (industrial footwork). And at Howdy: The Blast Monkeys (Tonganoxie pop-punk), Ivory Daze (grunge revivalists) and Island Policy (Topeka’s Puddle of Mudd).