Diggy

‘Unexpected Arrival’

Atlantic Records

Release Date: March 20

Top Track: ‘Unforgivable Blackness’

5 out of 5 decibels

Sounds Like: Rev. Run meets B.o.B

Think of today’s teenage musicians, and Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus probably come to mind. Rapper Diggy knocks down the typical persona of a modern teen idol with a debut album that’s definitely an unexpected arrival.

It can’t be hard to catch some talent when your dad was in Run D.M.C. and your uncle, Russell Simmons, is a music mogul. The 17-year-old son of hip-hop pioneer Rev. Run splashed onto the music scene with his first mixtape, ‘The First Flight,’ in 2009. In 2011, Billboard Magazine named him one of the ‘Artists to Watch,’ and Kanye West even praised him via his blog, saying, ‘I knew this kid was (going to) be fresh. I knew it!’

Now with three successful mixtapes under his belt and the status as the youngest member of hip-hop collective All City Chess Club, Diggy successively backs up the hype with youthful yet sophisticated tunes.

The beauty of Diggy is that he appeals to a young audience by putting out songs with topics that are relevant to youth, but packages them in a mature and tolerable way. His song ‘Do it Like You,’ featuring singer Jeremih, is essentially a glorified pop song. He talks about a girl he’s trying to approach: ‘Girl, you killin’ em, my condolence.’ This doesn’t sound like a tune that would draw the attention of anyone older than 14-year-olds, but Diggy delivers his cheesy lyrics with confidence,like they were the best things we’ve ever heard. His delivery is key in this song, but he unleashes his lyrical chops later on in the album.

One of the best songs in the album is ‘Unforgivable Blackness.’ Diggy tackles issues within the black community like self-degradation and materialism. Socially conscious rap is pretty deep for a 17-year-old. Diggy obviously has more to say than ‘YOLO,’ and it’s a breath of fresh air. He says, ‘I can’t relate to Scar Face, but I read Othello / I ain’t from the projects, I’m more from the meadows / We’ve both seen racism on the same level.’ He’s not a thug and not claiming to be, but the rhymes he spits have meaning and substance.

Through his encouraging and inspirational words, Diggy tries to be a good role model for teenagers. In ‘Glow in the Dark,’ he preaches: ‘I put myself in the shoes of a giant / I cover two socks, two knots and I’m tying / I was frightened, I was tired / But I knew that one day I would triumph.’ It sounds like the teenaged reality-star-turned-rapper has been through hard times, but he managed to make it through.

Diggy’s fan base now transcends the high school girl crowd, even getting adults talking. In a chat with Power 105.1, host Angela Yee asked, ‘Am I too grown to like Diggy?’ It’s no wonder that the rapper’s new ‘musical pedophiles,’ as her co-host Charlamagne Tha God calls them, have trouble coming out; he is a kid. His lead single, ‘Do it Like You,’ was a pop tune about puppy love, but this teen isn’t just another kid trying to rap. Delving into his music reveals why he’s a trending topic among all ages.

Age aside, Diggy shows that he’s an emcee that can do cheesy singles and then surprisingly give us songs with substance, clever rhymes and excellent delivery. He’s the teen idol you never saw coming.

ieinyang@syr.edu

Published on March 26, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Ibet: ieinyang@syr.edu