In order to determine the mood in which the economic recession has left youngsters in the U.S., you only have to look closely at the current U.S.-rap-scene. Last year’s release by the Californian duo Main Attrakionz from Oakland can be interpreted as their generation’s »I-Could-Die-Any-Day«-attitude as a reaction to the crisis. On »808s & Dark Grapes II«, Squadda B and Mondre M.A.N whisk the listener away into an urban dream world, in which everything seems to be possible (especially with the right doses of narcotics). It’s a paranoid drug-trip, which doesn’t follow OFWGKTA’s chaotic almighty-fantasies musically, but in its best moments rather sounds like »a little bit of André mixed with Kanye«, whose most polarizing album »808s & Heartbeats« the record directly refers to. The hypnotic beats by Keyboard Kid, Friendzone, AHYVE and Marlee B serve as the perfect platform for the MCs to spread their drug-infused raps.
»Take 1« is the record’s highlight, featuring the Harlem-Wunderkind A$AP Rocky and Clams Casino, who, with his Lil B-productions, was the founder of what’s called »Cloud Rap« these days. »I’m sick of all these hipsters«, they’re stating in the song, even though they themselves have used the internet, including Tumblr and Bandcamp-Promo, as a tool to create a mid-size buzz in the U.S. In the end, the picture painted by Main Attraktionz is not thoroughly desolate, instead, there are beams of hope fighting their way through the hopelessness every now and then. But then again, the U.S.-economy is said to be recovering, too.

Buy at HHV

Main Attrakionz
808s & Dark Grapes II

from 23.99€