Review: Black Cracker - Poster Boy
By Haadiza Ogwude, Contributor
[Gully Havoc; 2014]
Rating: 7/10
Key Tracks: "Chasing Rainbows," "Hold Yuh," "Hung Like Slave"
Ellison Renee Glenn, aka Black Cracker, refers to himself as “Stoic as fuck, with a baby face and a set of blue-collar shoulders." Based professionally out of NYC, he works as a producer, MC and writer, with his style lying somewhere between Dipset and Black Box. Black Cracker is known as an unconventional yet highly appreciated artist who knows how to translate studio time into energetic stage performances. His latest album Poster Boy is definitely a reflection of his unique style, with strong psychedelic and techno influences.
One of his most popular tracks is “Chasing Rainbows," which talks about being “outside of the box.” Black Cracker talks about being brown and a girl being white; he reflects on being of two different races but the world is filled with many different colors and we should embrace the beautiful diversity in the world: “You heart is blue/ My eyes are red/ The smoke is green/ We’re chasing rainbows.”
Another popular track on the album is “Hung Like Slave.” The title of the song is very unsettling at first, but the beat is very chill. This song just makes one want to get up and dance. The lyrics are full of puns rather than anything with a deeper meaning. He can be described as “having bars.” He’s not saying anything meaningful, but what he says is clever, witty and funny.
“Hold Yuh” is different from the other songs on the album in that it has more of a sentimental message. Black Cracker talks about holding a girl and wanting to take the weight off of her shoulders; he wants to be her soldier. Other songs on the album, such as “Chasing Rainbows,” have an overall theme of love and being with someone, however “Hold Yuh” is much more affectionate in its delivery. This song puts the woman on a pedestal and you can tell he’s in love with someone.
Poster Boy is an interesting album with a strong influence of modern day hip-hop. However, there are definite elements of Black Cracker’s personal style. Black Cracker is a very talented producer and writer; his lyrics are very witty and often times I found myself having to listen to his songs over and over again to understand the meaning behind them. However, Black Cracker certainly has a lot of room for growth. Many of his hooks are too repetitive and some of the songs resemble each other instrumentally.
