REVIEW: On 'TRAPSTATION' Sabi Wu & Korb$ Capture the Essence of the 2nd Shrap Generation
Sabi Wu & Korb$’ recent joint project TRAPSTATION is an undeniably fun album. For some,it is a story of a youthful life in which the personas telling it have been pre-judged as troublesome. For others, it is a classic example of the 'spirit vs flesh' scenario. But the explosive content isn't a good place to start the discussion.
Hip Hop fans have always loved joint mixtapes. Whether it is Jay Z & Kanye West on OTIS, or Future & Young Thug on Super Slimy. The idea of two street-worthy MCs coming together for a whole project just makes fans crazy. This joint mixtape business has however become more common in the melodic trap rap era. Internationally, we’ve seen the likes of Future do entire projects with Lil Uzi Vert and Juice WRLD (RIP). Locally, Jovie Jovv has perfected the art, and seems to be leading the shrap movement in that regard.
The Birth of the 2nd Shrap Generation
Like most things in 2020, the Kenyan music scene suffered. But it also managed to churn out new stars. A second generation of Kenyan rappers was born in the boredom of the lockdown. Kahu$h ,Chiefgeng,Sabi Wu ,Korb$ and Lil Maina all came up together around the same time. Their stories are of the same script. Picture a young man whose academic course has been suspended indefinitely and now has a lot of time on his hands. He's done music before but not very 'aggressively' for lack of a better word. So he hits the booth! Each of them, (Chiefgeng is a duo) started churning out beloved projects. With hunger and intent now ever present in song after song, they captured the hearts of Nairobi's hiphop heads.
To get a hit song in the East African market (and indeed the world), a video is an essential part of the package. Songs with visuals get played on TV, which in turn get played on radio and by popular DJs. For a long time it was really hard to have a hit song that didn't have accompanying visuals.HARD. As the middle class grows and technology becomes more accessible, Kenyan music is enjoying more streams- and what a time to get into the game. And this is why this crop of rappers are outstanding. They made hits that were streamed over and over without them dropping as much as a visualizer for some of their biggest hits. Songs like Iwake,Fanya Like This and now Rass Life & Wacha Nirest from this album we're discussing are doing phenomenal numbers on streaming platforms. These young people have ushered in a paradigm shift, where fans are starting to appreciate and consume Kenyan projects on a whole. They are making things look so easy- for themselves through their defiance of the music landscape. Unbelievable and fantastic.
Sabi Wu &Korb$ bring different things to this album. Korb$ is more into melodic rap than any of his peers mentioned above. Paradoxically, he also delivers using the deepest voice and intonation. Sabi Wu on the other hand is a bar for bar rapper rarely using melody. However he has a high sense of rhythm, hence his catchy hooks,and a flow that is musically stimulating.
They start the project with the track Movin Different, a strong affirmation of their desire to stand out in the industry. After that they delve into the youthful themes such as the party life, drugs and substance use, love ,sex and romance. However, as mentioned before; their tackling of these themes can, and are being interpreted differently. That difference in interpretation may not entirely be the fault of the fanbase. The rappers tackle the same issues but from different angles. On the songs Hatari and Size Yako, the two rappers assume personas that praise the hype party lifestyle,and yet on Gone Clear and Pesa Huisha, the last two tracks, they present a more moderate approach. This paradoxical view from the artists gives the project more depth; something that critics would not readily credit these types of rappers with. The wider international hiphop community have taken partisan positions in the 'pure hip hop' vs 'trap' debate,and so have the fans back home. Some rappers have been labelled 'cool kids' and condemned to a box. It is often said that these type of rappers tell stories that are out of touch with the 'normal' life on this side of the world. Or that their music is too American. With these accusations,critics are barely able to look keenly into the themes,instead focusing on the manner of presentation,and language of choice. The second Shrap generation has been demonized in this way.
But a book ought not be judged by it's cover! The album has a variety of sounds blended in with the trap beats. Size Yako for example,is delivered on a gengetone beat,and Wacha Nirest,is a essentially a Kenyan type trap beat with subtle drumming and modification that makes it a drill tune. Size Yako is a love song that celebrates plus size women, affirming their beauty. This message is important , especially when coming from men.Summer Girl and My Lover are R &B tracks with lots of Swahili lyrics. They address the issues of love and relationships. In the song Summer Girl, Korb$ takes the persona of a remorseful lover apologizing for a fight. The reason behind the fight is clearly an alcohol problem. On Rass Life which features Kahu$h, they discuss the subject of dreadlocks. "Rass" is a common sheng (slang) word for a person with dreadlocks. It's shortened from Rastafarian. Employing a comical approach, (a common trope among the young shrappers), they talk about how their society treats people with dreadlocks. They make fun of the myths and misconceptions about people with dreadlocks- how they are thought to be law breakers at best,and terrorists at worst. The song is also a celebration of youth and living in the moment without inhibition. One line from the hook states' We spend that money 'fore we make it, It's the rass life!'
The album gets a more serious mood towards the end. The last three songs carry reflective themes. Even the beats selected for this last stretch are reflective. On Yummy Freestyle featuring the two Chiefgeng members and Sambo, deep topics such as fame, real friendship , growing musically among other things are mentioned by all the rappers involved in the record. Gone Clear and Famous vol. 2 are reflections on fame and how it has changed life for the artists making the album. Pesa Huisha closes the project with some sweet,dreamy melody. It asks one of the oldest questions that beset artists: without the fame or the money, would their lovers feel the same way about them?
Al in all this is a great album. The second Shrap generation has been given a bad name by some people, but they just won't hang. Using shoestring budgets and with no record deals,and heck without even visuals, they manage to pull more and more numbers. They are the future of Kenyan hip-hop and those that write them off, do so at their own peril.
