Tigray Funk by Sideshow

For fans of MF Doom, Death’s Dynamic Shroud, J Dilla, early ambient music, and institutional suspicion, Tigray Funk by Sideshow searches for emotional and material truth through a unique abstract hip hop style. Occasional references to the golden age of trap through hi hat clusters and dark vocal inflections paint this record as a reaction to a moment when hip hop obtained a taste of power in the music industry, a contrarian response unsurprising given this record’s lyrical crusade. Starting from first principles of systemic evil and working outwards to find examples in any and all halls of power, these lyrics deconstruct and rebel against all manner of sociopathy, from colonial wars to religious cronyism to abuse of all kinds. Despite this dark tone and serious focus, however, Sideshow’s overall message remains hopeful, using music as a rallying cry for a new generation which has the power and awareness to genuinely challenge this institutional evil in the near future.