Produced by BIONIK
Griff gets deep on this one. The latest release from his Reanimated project, “Economik Splendor,” finds Griffen tackling the prison industrial complex, by rapping from the perspective of a prison. Crazy.
People love to complain about rap with no message, but here is some food for thought served up nicely from Griffen. We hope you digest it. The substance is here.
The issue of violence in the city of Chicago has taken center stage, shaping not only the local narrative, but the artistic output. Most prominent among the musical styles that are native to the area is the “Drill” music phenomenon. Centered on a culture of rampant killings, the overall aesthetic of Drill music speaks to Chicago’s status as the nation’s murder capital.
As a respected Hip-Hop artist who helped influence the cultural landscape in Chicago, Griffen has witnessed the rise of “Drill” music first hand. Where some conveniently default to the attitude of blaming Chicago artists for the area’s increasing violence, he takes a markedly different approach. His latest track, “Economik Splendor” makes no bones about pointing fingers squarely in the direction of the banking industry, media outlets, and even US Presidents. “Shoutout to Ronald Reagan, I really gotta thank him, This ‘War on Drugs’ is recreating plantations”.
Economik Splendor is steeped in cynicism: It stands as a reverse-guilty verdict from the streets, naming who some may see as the beneficiaries of society’s excess. “I’m with judges in Pennsylvania, I give ‘em paper, They give me kids-for-cash, I reward bad behavior.”