A professional rapper, Damian Hess, figured his credibility as a narrative performer would at some point come into question. He just never assumed it'd have anything to do with his C++ skills.
"I used to be a Web developer," said Hess, "I have an English degree; I started the Monty Python fan club in my high school. It's not hard to have to assert my nerd cred, but I do get hassled for not knowing about computer programming."
As MC Frontalot, Hess stands at the forefront of the nerdcore (or "geeksta") rap movement, having coined the phrase back in 2000. Only needing a microphone and a PC, nerdcore is, at its epicenter, a bare bones DIY movement, an amateur and esoteric celebration of all the things that got you "swirlies" in high school. Yeah, they spit 16-bar verses about "Star Wars" and science, but their earnest and approachable aesthetic makes Frontalot and his associates underground heroes and Internet darlings to legions of blogging buddies.
"[Nerdcore] comes out of a bunch of kids who came of age as rap was coming into national consciousness," Hess said. "We saw them as the coolest people on Earth and thought 'How could we do this?' Through the magic of technology we're now able to find a niche."
"I've always been a writer, more so than a musician," Hess added. "What I love about rap is that people write three-minute songs that have 600 words of text crammed in."
Still, the hip-hop community has hardly lent a bling-studded ear. The movement remains underground after several burgeoning years and releases, consumed by teens clicking away at a novelty.
The elementary patterns and lyricism initially displayed by Frontalot's early work have evolved into mature marksmanship. Topical rhymes addressing generational issues have garnered MC Lars, presently sharing the stage with Frontalot on the "Secrets from the Future tour," across-the-board props with pop culture heavy bars like, "So we hit the 'Net while the Trade Center fell/New York met Hollywood, we ran like hell.
No Vietnam for us, yo, Iraq it's on/ So who agreed upon this cowboy Genghis Khan?"
"Lots of kids identify with nerdcore," said Hess, "[I think] people are getting into rap through nerdcore because we're exploring patterns that haven't been touched on since the old school days."
Secrets from the Future, Frontalot's second studio-produced work, dropped earlier this month. Initial listens recall the time you got drunk and tried to freestyle, but despite lyrical dexterity best described as "really white," an insuppressible charm rises above the 8-bit beats.
"Charity Case," one of dude's textbook anthems, refreshingly reverses the "diamonds in your face" approach of top-40 rappers by presenting a broke artist begging fans for their disposable income.
By stripping away the oozing male bravado and machismo of hip-hop, it's clear Hess should call himself MC Frontveryrarelyifever.
"For the first five years, I felt like my rapping was so lousy that nobody would want to listen," said Hess, "I've gotten to the point where I don't feel embarrassed, it doesn't offend me."
Rest assured, MC Frontalot's charming tour keeps it wholeheartedly real - don't expect any late night rock star debauchery on their nationwide trek.
"We have three prominent nerdcore rappers in this van," Hess said, "after shows we usually try driving around and looking for Wi-Fi hot spots."
MC Frontalot's "Secrets from the Future Tour" stops by Stubb's next Friday.
Be the first to comment on this article!