From the album SunGoNova by Denmark Vessey

Vocals by Denmark Vessey, DrxQuinx & Vic Spencer
Produced by Knxwledge
Directed by No Love

Like most truly original artists, Denmark Vessey defies easy understanding. He’s a Detroit rapper and cult rap hero currently living in New York City, named after a brilliant 19th century slave-turned-carpenter who was convicted and executed for planning what would’ve been the largest slave revolt in North American history. He’s funnier than most political rappers, more political than punch line spitters, and too imaginative for regressive underground stereotypes.

It’s all readily apparent on his latest project, SunGoNova, a breezy exercise of warped soul and eccentric raps produced entirely by Earl Sweatshirt and Knxwledge.

This complex mentality is applied in rapid-fire rap form on SunGoNova. Denmark references everything from a Hollywood reboot of Roots where they cast Tobey Maguire as the lead to the feeling of waking up in an old K-Mart. He’s praying to the Based God and recalling the fan who said he was heavier there a freight car. Allusions to Biggie and buying shoes on Venmo, esoteric strains of weed and ayahuasca all propitiously clash.

As the album fades out, Denmark’s demanding coffee with Ethiopian beans, but the listener is still wide awake, wanting more. It’ll arrive soon enough.