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Buck 65, ‘Situation’ (Strange Famous)

The white-rapper bubble burst well before The White Rapper Show, leaving Eminem to rule aboveground and only a few minor-league stars (Atmosphere, Aesop Rock) within spitting distance of the mainstream. Canada’s Buck 65 definitely won’t cross over with this concept album about 1957, which he posits as a watershed cultural moment (rock’n’roll’s breakout, the Cold War, etc.). Maddeningly unconcerned with hooks or choruses, he spins story-raps that flow like a James Ellroy book, full of microscopic noir detail and witty references (did he just say “Buster Crabbe and Ed Gein”?). But it’s never sonically engaging enough to stand out amid a rack of backpacks.

Now Hear This: Buck 65 – “Shutter Buggin'” DOWNLOAD MP3

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