Fosho

What’s up everyone? Sorry about the mini hiatus, as I have what we call a “real job” and it has been extremely hectic lately, but I return to you with a VERY interesting project from an up and coming rapper / producer from Los Angeles, who has a very post-modern sound. So today we are going to look at a project by a young man named Jason Fosho, who goes by Fosho. Here’s a little bio from the artist, so you can get familiar (shout out to Clinton Sparks).

Jason Fosho an upcoming Los Angeles rapper was born in Atlanta, Georgia of 2 Cameroonian parents. He did part of his childhood in Cameroon where he went through middle and high school. His return to California after high school marked the start of his musical career.

Started up “STARKLAN” an “art collective” as he describes it, which has been on a constant uprise. The group includes other upcoming artists like Essele, Church.fr, JaxXedUp and Kendrum. “The new Q-Tip” as many call him is a genius amalgamation of Trip hop, hip hop and afrobeat. The producer turned rapper’s highly energetic and amazingly creative instrumentals are inspired by his 100% made in Los Angeles tendencies.

Mr.Fosho is currently releasing the video for his first official single “TRUTH” from his “Mali, Molly and Tamale” album. The video was shot ,directed and edited by Chris Black with video producer credits for other rappers like A$AP Rocky amongst others.
Now, before we go forward, I gotta put in a disclaimer. Mr. Fosho is not the new Q-Tip. And yes that sounds harsh but its not and here is why. First, the music here is NOTHING like anything you would ever hear from the Tribe, Tip (he doesn’t get this experimental, at least not on anything I have heard from him, post-ATCQ), or really anyone from the D.A.I.S.Y. collective. What I hear are elements of very progressive movements. The rapping here would be more in tune to the OFWGKTA collective, and even Kool Keith, and the production sounds like Flying Lotus. THAT’S A GOOD THING.

I’m a fan of both Odd Future and even more so Flying Lotus. Kool Keith made Dr. Octagon, which is one of the single greatest accomplishments in hip hop (if you have never heard the album “Dr. Octagonacologyst” from Dr. Octagon, do yourself a favor and learn all about it. That’s what influenced the late 90’s / early 2000’s underground scene. It’s a must know album if you love hip hop). I love the progressive movement out of the west. I love that even though Fosho was born in ATL, lived a large and influential portion of his life in Cameroon, and then set up shop in LA, he’s making music that cannot, under any circumstances, be pigeon-holed into any single one style or genre. You are you, and in this case, that’s fucking awesome.
So, now let’s move onto the music. The first thing I notice, is that the beats are very synth heavy, and dark, brooding, slower paced works of art. This album could be released as nothing but instrumentals and it would stand on its own. The beats are honestly that good. For a relatively new artist, this is high level stuff. I just want to be clear though, the lyrical ability of Fosho is not, by any means, holding the album back. Not in the slightest. The lyrical content here is fitting for the sound. Darker subject matter, such as cults, darker corners of religion, African culture, mental illness, as well as the usual stuff that gets worked in there (money, bitches, and drugs). Fosho does not paint a picture of sunshine and positivity, but instead takes you on a journey into the darker portions of his soul and brain. It’s quite fascinating, actually. I think he really paints a vivid picture of who he is as an artist, and its oddly beautiful.
Before I wrap this up and tell you my final thoughts, I have to give some separate coverage to the single, and music video “TRUTH”. This video, combined with the song, is what sold me on Fosho and his STARKLAN collective. It’s a visually stunning piece, that gives you a vision into who these guys are. They aren’t your run-of-the-mill rappers. They are an actual group of artists who don’t just specialize in rapping and making beats. They paint, they make video content, and I’m sure they will have their hands in other things as well. They are not to be slept on.

So I’m going to wrap this up with the tracks that stood out to me, but this is a piece of work that should be listened to from start to finish. This is a cohesive work that will resonate better if taken in as a whole. That being said, New Trust, Blood Mary, TRUTH, and Amen Again are the standout tracks here. I usually don’t put a grade on these, since they are new artists and getting their feet wet, but this is really good, interesting stuff that you shouldn’t miss out on. Even if you don’t vibe with this kind of stuff, you should still give it a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

-Beanz - Hiphopdurso.com