Leaving the Past Behind in Favor of Uplifting Lyrics
GENRE: Hip-Hop
HOMETOWN: Baltimore, MD
ARTISTIC APPROACH: Transitioning out of rougher hip-hip.
www.wordsmithmusic.com
Wordsmith’s latest release, King Noah, is designed as a musical time capsule for his one-year old son and fully represents his earlier departure from a rougher form of hip-hop. “I want to make music that my family can listen to,” he explains. “That my kids can listen to and they won’t cringe when they hear it.”
In fact, Baltimore rapper, single father, and businessman Wordsmith’s songs are completely devoid of explicit language since a period in 2003 when he stepped back and decided that family was his main priority. The lack of language is hardly noticeable under his smooth, old school hip-hop inspired lyrics and rhythms, which flow together seamlessly.
In terms of songwriting, Wordsmith allows the beats to dictate his story. “I kinda just like to go in the booth and figure out the song,” he explains. While his last album, Vintage Experience, dug up lyrics and writing from his past, King Noah is a listener’s first glimpse at a newer, rawer creation.
The album offers uplifting messages to listeners without sacrificing the rough, unplanned nature of hip-hop. “I wanted to get back to that ’90s hip-hop where people had messages in their music and they would talk about anything from parents to friends, to what they ate that night, or a new movement.” His songs deal with anger, loss, acceptance, and positivity – each an introspective look at the world around him.
One of the most notable qualities of his lyrics and style is the universal nature that surrounds each song. “When I started building music, I didn’t have a one track mind,” Wordsmith says in regard to his travels as a child. Born in Germany to a military family that moved every year or two, his childhood experiences touched a multitude of cultures. His eclectic past influences the individuality of each track on the album. “I wanna make music that’s universal, that the whole world will appreciate.”
photo by Phil M