Felipe Pupo
Orishas
U Don't Deserve This Beautiful Art / A-Ha! Records
April 27, 2018
Felipe Pupo is the moniker donned by Philadelphia, visual
artist, E. Grizzly. Under his name, E Grizzly had a record in Oct 2016, titled,
Felipe Pupo. That LP was credited as “produced,
recorded and mixed by E. Grizzly and collaborator Scott Labenski and the ghost
of Jason Pupo”. That LP drips with rap, trip-hop, the blues and rock orgies
spewing magic and mysticism. E. Grizzly also has hip-hop and industrial albums
going back to 2010. Now, Felipe Pupo returns with Scott Labenski in the same
role.
Grizzly notes: “The
last album was dedicated to Jason Pupo. He was a good friend of mine who passed
away. It inspired me to write about ghosts and being haunted by memories. We
wanted to keep the spirit theme going with this new EP. Orishas are spirits in
the Yoruba and Santeria religions. It’s a part of my family’s history and it’s
something I wanted to explore.”
Yoruba are a people from Nigeria now populating the UK, USA,
Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Ghana. Santeria is an Afro-Cuban religion mixing
Catholic practices and customs of the Yoruba. Ultimately, what is perfectly
clear is that Grizzly has combined his hip hop with live instruments (mostly)
to exemplify Afro-Punk mixed with all the inherent influences, boom bap, jazz,
funk, calypso and rock.
No denying the Philly saturation here. The streets are
sweating ardent love for Chuck Treece and The Goats and all the splintered
fractures which disseminate from those connections and auras. Sounds of this
Philly ilk burst from Oshiras while
taking the material far into their own direction. Felipe Pupo bring frustration
and rage with guitars, some funky bass, and an arsenal of rhythms provided by live
drums and a drum machine. Sometimes the song formula is apparent; quiet verse
with bass and drums lead into a loud punky guitar chorus with spazzing energy;
repeat three times. But, that is how System Of A Down and 9,000 Nu-Metal bands
sold millions and touched angsty suburbanites. So, I see no issue here
utilizing that formula when your words and conviction is realer than 8,999 of
those bands of that era. Plus, it is Afro-“PUNK”. Punk has four decades of adhering
to quick formulaic repetition. The lyrics and execution is what matters. Felipe
Pupo deliver intellectual savagery.
The DIY is strong here. This is true homemade, frantic punk.
“Identity Crisis” (which exhibits solid musicianship, especially the guitars).
The lyrics expose Grizzly’s corrosive introspection; depleting his sanity as he
searches for form and identity; historically, racially, and geographically.
Just like the prior track, the killer, “No Days Off” captivates. Among the
racial and social pressure, some still have to go to work and deal with a
universal laborious struggle. “Capt. Pupo” has a simmering intro, with a
swaying RATM feel with expected explosions; but the synth play in the second half
of the track grips tension equally with dark drum machine rhythms. While “Honeymoon
Phase” has a acoustic guitar strum under frenzied snare and a sung bridge until
the Bad Brains type thrash commands the track. That soothing section is
alluring and returns one minute into the track. Grizzly actually sings here
adding to the seduction before again an unfettered release. The lead guitar in
the break has a Spanish flavor, echoing the poly-rhythmic approach.
The lead single, "NOGAF", also has a video. E. Grizzly’s visual art
here is stunning; replacing the facebook façade with any egotistical need of
having a camera follow him bounce around a stage; which of course is a statement
in itself. The sonic ebbs and flows of RATM are there; complimented by (again)
fluid Spanish/Carribean guitar wails. Pictures of Carlton and other
commodified (and appropriated) images fall like cylinders in a vault lock
between Grizzly’s lyrics being typed on screen. “Oh the Hypocrisy” is the
refrain.
Felipe Pupo explore the placement of culture in this current
American society. Knowledge of one’s history paired with contemporary context
splinters into schizophrenic urges. And as each generation combines swirling
genetic imprints, each generation is its own nascent definition. The fury of
this exploration is done under the fetters of an Anglo-defined system. E
Grizzly and Labenski provide the soundtrack. And it fucking kills.
RIYL: White Mandingos, Full Scale Riot, Fireburn, Street
Sweeper Social Club, McRad, Black Landlord, Downset, Reef The Lost Cauze, Schooly D, Dalek,
Wesley Willis Fiasco, The Krays Sangre
Record release parties will be April 27 at Lava Space and
April 28th at The Pharmacy in Philadelphia.
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