Most recently, in March of 2007, El-P released
I'll Sleep When You're Dead, undoubtedly his best album to date.
The album has featured collaborations with Trent Reznor, Aesop Rock, The Mars Volta, and other artists. It has been his most successful album thus far. The album spawed the major hits "Smithereens (Stop Cryin)", "The Overly Dramatic Truth" and "Flyentology."
With his discography and history summed up, let's take a look at the immense style in which he creates his music
El-P's style is virtually impossible to sum up in a single word. He delivers his lyrics in an aggresive, raw manner. His lyrics hinge on word-association and deep metaphors.
From "The Overly Dramatic Truth":
"What a ride, what a slide under the door, what a score
You think I'm a genius, I know I'm a whore
What a time, what a climb in for our lives, whats in store
You seen lit forever, all I see is war
I will pull your hair back, f*ck you on the floor
Pour myself into the act, pour myself, oohoo I'm bad
Cause I know these magnets end, but telling you the truth is sad
You deserve the ignorance and bliss that I still wish I had
Don't you let me keep you here, don't ignore my greatest fear
I need you to not need mem you need not believe just flee
I will put myself inside you, find some way to run and hide you
I can't be responsible, do as I say, not as I do"
From "Smithereens (Stop Cryin)":
"El-Producto, sorta strange
They say he stares at you, long range
Perhaps he's looking past us all with his thousand yard gaze
And I'm crying
And he sees how MC's became contorted with their own lives
And went from battle rap to gun talk
Like we ain't notice the change (yeah, right)"
In his lyrics, El-P displays political undertones and often questions the nature of humanity and the reality of what is really real. He often makes elusions to science fiction and fantasy in his lyircs, and criticizes the social norms.
With over 15 years of experience under his belt, El-P has only gotten better with time. Each album tops the last, and his lyrics eminate more and more with each track that he puts out. My hat goes off to El-P.
