One thing that bugs me when people try to criticize modern Hip Hop is when they say that it is becoming stale and non-creative. If you are someone who believes that all Hip Hop that is coming out these days sounds the same, you are not looking hard enough for interesting music within the genre. If you look at any music genre from the outside looking in, the mainstream stuff will often feel bland, similar, and even cookie-cutter. But if you look below these surfaces, there are always artists pushing boundaries and helping push music forward, even if it is not noticeable at the moment. One artist that has teetered on the edge of underground and mainstream Hip Hop that I have always felt deserves more notoriety is Earthgang. Earthgang has never gotten the amount of hype they deserve from more casual Hip Hop listeners, but it is easy to see how big of an impact they have had on today’s Hip Hop landscape if you look into them. They are the kind of artist that is super popular among mega-fans and other artists within the genre, but for some reason, they have never popped off among the masses the way they should have. Earthgang consists of two members, Johnny Venus and Doctor Dot(who also go as Olu and WowGr8 respectively). The duo became best friends in high school and originally started making music in their dorm room at Hampton University. They started to get big in 2013 when they formed the music collective Spillage Village(which consists of 6lack, Hollywood JB, Mereba, JID, and others). In the summer of 2014, Earthgang released their album Shallow Graves For Toys through their Spillage Village imprint. This record gained traction in online underground Hip Hop communities, putting them on the map as one to watch. Their second album, 2015’s Strays with Rabies, solidified them as rising stars in the experimental Trap music movement. In 2017, Earthgang and Spillage Village signed with J.Cole’s Dreamville Records, exposing themselves to a massive audience that they had not reached before. After also signing with Interscope Records to further help them reach a wider audience, Earthgang made their major label studio debut near the end of 2019 with their acclaimed album Mirrorland. After putting together a Spillage Village collective album called Spilligion in 2020, Earthgang released their second major label album, Ghetto Gods, at the beginning of 2022(I reviewed this album very positively when it came out, so if you like this project go read that one after your finished here). Earthgang has already returned with another new project, an EP called Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art. This is the group’s first project since becoming an independent artist again, as they are now no longer signed with Interscope Records(they are still associated with Dreamville, though). It is also the first installment in their new Earthgang vs. The Algorithm EP series. With all of that being said, here is how I feel about Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from this new EP from Earthgang, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
Earthgang gets Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art started on a trippy and ethereal note with the song ‘The Wake.’ This song has a Funky Psychedelic Rock sound that transports me to another world when I hear it. There is an element to this track that also has a Stadium Rock feeling. The instrumental is like a fusion between music from artists like U2 and artists like George Clinton. The melody, which is super bright and heavenly, is provided by a heavily distorted guitar riff complemented by saturated synths. There is no beat for this track, which is hardly noticeable because the melody is so intense and full of energy. The vocals on this song are wide-ranging and epic, matching the feeling of the instrumental. The vocals have an emotional element that makes the song feel so huge. In ‘The Wake,’ Johnny Venus and Doctor Dot are singing about a man who died due to artificial intelligence. They are lamenting the fact that technology made this character die, and regretting their decision to let technology progress in the way it did. ‘Die Today’ was the second single released in anticipation of this EP. This track became one of my favorite singles of the summer, and it will be on my year-end best songs list. This is a groovy Pop-Trap song with a sound that fuses 90s Reggae with elements of 70s Funk music. It is cool how complex the instrumental for this song is. The tempo of its melody has a feeling that makes me think of the Neo-Reggae that was big in the 1990s, but the way the piano and guitar are played that drive this melody has such a retro Funk music feeling. This intricate and riveting melody is put on top of a fun Pop-Trap beat that makes me want to dance the night away when I hear it. The vocal performances from both of the members of Earthgang are very clear and smooth, with Doctor Dot’s vocals especially standing out. The low and sultry tone that he raps with contrasts Johnny Venus’ higher-pitched vocals in such a nice way and gives the song texture. On ‘Die Today,’ Earthgang is singing to a significant other, asking them if they would come to be by their side and stay committed to them even if they were passing away. ‘Flavors of Karma’ is an upbeat and lively song that totally goes against the sound that one would expect to hear from Earthgang. This song has a warm and bubbly Poppy R&B sound that makes me think of the mid to late 2000s. There is something about the melody for this track that has a bit of a shoegaze element to it. The melody is driven by a groovy bass guitar riff that is complemented by an electric guitar and synths. At some points in the track, the electric guitar and synths have a hazy Indie Rock element that makes me think of artists like Beach House. At other parts of the track, the synths and guitar riff have an old-school funk sound. This extremely interesting melody is put on a light drum beat that drives the song along but does not distract from the cool sound of the melody. This song has the best vocal performance of the project so far, with both members of Earthgang showing off the diversity in their vocal styles that make the song so all-encompassing. In ‘Flavors of Karma,’ Earthgang talks about the repercussions of their actions and how their worlds could have been drastically different if they had made certain decisions in the past.
Earthgang calms the mood down with the song ‘Imagine.’ This is a Soulful R&B song that sounds like it came right out in the 1970s. This instrumental is highly influenced by artists like Marvin Gaye or Al Green. The melody, which is very simple, is provided by a warm and slow guitar riff paired with a keyboard riff and bass guitar. This melody is put on a soft drum beat that matches the summery feeling the melody has. This song is performed by Doctor Dot and a guest vocalist named Rama. Doctor Dot is solid on this track, but Rama steals the show, with her sweet tone contrasting Doctor Dot’s gruffer vocal style in such a pleasing way. Honestly, ‘Imagine’ is the most boring track on this project. It just does not carry the kind of sonic weight and power that the other tracks on this EP do. It is not a bad track, it just does not capture in the way that most of Earthgang’s music does. In ‘Imagine,’ Doctor Dot and Rama are singing about a failed relationship. They are wondering what could have gone down if certain things had worked out better than the way that they worked out. Earthgang closes out the record with ‘Bobby Boucher’ featuring Benji. This song was the first single dropped before this EP came out. It has the most traditional modern Hip Hop sound of anything on the record; is the song that is most like the music that most of Earthgang’s fans would know them for. This is a gritty Southern trap song with a Soulful element to it. This song feels a lot darker than anything else on Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art. It is also probably the most simple-sounding instrumental on the EP. This instrumental is driven by a slow and melancholy bass guitar riff that is complemented by quirky synths. This melody is put on top of a pounding and intense Trap beat that gives the song a level of power that we have not seen in the project before this. Every vocal performance on this track is very good, but Johnny Venus truly rises above on this track. I love how his vocals are pitched up, as they create a cool juxtaposition with the vocals from Benji and Doctor Dot. Johnny Venus’ flow on this track is so convoluted and crisp, giving the track a texture that makes it so cool to listen to. On ‘Bobby Boucher,’ Earthgang and Benji are rapping about how they can not seem to shake their vices and how they will always have the problems that they have. ‘Bobby Boucher’ is a fun Southern Trap track that closes out this record with a bang.
As most of you who read this blog know, I love to check out what other people are saying about the project I am writing about before I give my own closing thoughts. I have to say that I thought that the discourse around Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art online would be more positive. It does not seem like anyone thinks this EP is bad, but a lot of EarthGang’s biggest fans do seem mildly disappointed by this project. There are two main criticisms I have seen: that it is kind of boring and that it is too short. As far as it being boring, I do not agree with this sentiment. This EP may not contain a lot of the kind of hard-hitting Trap music that Earthgang is known for, but that does not make it boring. In fact, I think it is extra entertaining and intriguing because of how different it is from their other music. Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art shows sides to Earthgang’s artistry that I did not know was in their arsenal. As far as the length of the project, I can see why people are a bit let down because I feel that way, too. Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art has cool music on it, but it feels incomplete and short. As I mentioned in the introduction, Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art is supposed to be a part of an EP series, so hopefully, a new edition of this series will come out soon so this project feels more complete. Overall, Earthgang vs. The Algorithm: RIP Human Art which once again shows why Earthgang is one of the most electrifying underground Trap artists making music today. This EP has songs that I know I will be listening to quite a bit in the future, and it makes me pumped up to hear what they put out next.
EAST SIDE VIBES 