Radio first introduced me to Sage Francis, which is surprising.
He's a white rap artist who has mostly existed under the radar so far, never touching on the mainstream. However, I happen to have a decent alternative radio station in Portland, Oregon where the DJs are given some leeway to play music that they like, but that isn't on the official playlist. The first song I heard from Sage Francis was "Hey Bobby," which actually is from his band Non-Prophets, a collaboration between Sage and Joe Beats.
I immediately loved the song, which combined hip hop with some very explicit social and political commentary. From that song, I found "Makeshift Patriot," which Sage wrote, recorded and released shortly after 9/11. It acted as a commentary on the media post-9/11 and Sage did not hold back in what he thought were the media's failings.
Strangely, I have yet to pick up either the Non-Prophets album or the more recent solo CD from Sage titled Personal Journals. I keep meaning to grab them, but haven't done it yet. Therefore, when I had the chance to snag a review copy of Sage's new album, A Healthy Distrust, from Epitaph, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to finally have a full length album to see if he held up as well throughout an entire CD as he did in those two songs I had heard.
I'm happy to say that he is just as impressive in full length form as he is in single tracks. In fact, A Healthy Distrust is one hell of an album, ripping through 15 songs of surprising diversity. Sage Francis is Epitaph's first hip hop artist and it's easy to see why they signed him. He is an incredible musical talent and a truly great writer. The lyrics on display in this album are very impressive, ranging from personal reflection to social and political commentary. Furthermore, none of these songs sound alike. There's a great range on the album, leaving it feeling fresh throughout.
Sage has been compared favorably to Eminem and I'm just going to go ahead and do the same here. My experience with rap is limited. I like some of Eminem's work and I'm a fan of a lot of what Tupac put out, but I don't own many other rap albums. Much of the hate, homophobia and misogyny that is on display in many mainstream rap artists turns me off and I haven't yet gathered enough motivation to really delve into the underground and less mainstream realms of rap, in which there seems to be some amazing talent lurking.
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Article comments
1 - Temple Stark
Joel,
I had no idea this guy was white. I've heard him once talking about how to write the perfect political poem.
Anyhoo - I moved this too up and over to Advance.net, which includes these places.
Potentially read by hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Thank you for the post. - Temple Stark
2 - Joel Caris
Thanks, Temple. I'm going to see him in concert on Friday, which I'll also be writing a review of, and am really looking forward to it. I'm still listening to the CD and it's just gotten better and better. I'm definitely going to have to pick up his first album, Personal Journals.
3 - Tim Whelden
yeah man, i really agree with the stuff you said. after being hugely into personal journals i really didnt know what to expect, but a healthy distrust is SO much more inaccesible in terms of lyrics. on p-journals you know what he's talking about all the time, but on HD you'll get it, and then he'll suddenly talk about like, cowboys and his childhood bedroom. but this album is really growing on me. everytime i listen to it i feel like i'm hearing a new album, its like i can hear lyrics i didnt hear before.
this cd is pretty sweet.
4 - jesse
> I had no idea this guy was white. I've heard him once talking about how to write the perfect political poem.
"How to Write a Political Poem" is a track on Sage Francis' "Known Unsoldier". But you're wrong, it's not Sage Francis speaking.
Great track though.
5 - acroredsu
Yes, Sage is definitely one of a kind. I've listened to that album countless times and it still gives me chilly bumps!! It's nice to see a hip hop artist out there whose lyrics contain actual substance. 5 stars. *****
6 - eduardo
this album is very innovative and just adds to the myriad of underground rap albums that have historically and continue to add consciousness to hip-hop music. i think people ought to check out Immortal Technique if they are seeking raw political and social commentary
7 - nikki
I heard about Sage through a friend who lived in Providence, RI back in 98. I've been a fan of his since his first official album came out (personal journals). If you like his music, you should check out the other underground artists of the day: sole, aesop rock, atmosphere, etc. A couple of good labels to get started with are: camobear records, definitive jux, rhymesayers entertainment, heiro imperium, peanuts and corn.
Glad you found his music, and hope it has the same impact on your expectations of what hip hop is supposed to be as it did for me. I haven't listened to a non-indie radio station in over 10 years now, because I get so disturbed by what I hear on the Clear Channel stations.