Eon MC Etc. And Adduci, a duo that came across my desk this week, were hard to get into for me—and that’s no fault of theirs. It’s also not an insult or a reflection of the quality of their music. It’s just that in 2016, with the current wave of similarity I’m being fed on a daily basis, I don’t often come across an alt-hip-hop project that makes me stop and think/listen in a different way. While the genre’s use of the term ‘alternative’ has grown to include acts like Chance The Rapper or even—at one point—Lil’B, I choose to use it the way it was originally conceived. That was, to describe acts against the grain, disrupting hegemony like De La Soul or Arrested Development.
Eon MC Etc. And Adduci [originally] hail from different parts of the country, but come together with a unique style that both contrasts and compliments in harmonious balance. Their new project, Fighting Demons, seems to be ripe with symbolism, Lyricist Lounge-esque poetry aesthetic, spiritual undertones, and a unique thematic direction. The project kicks off with a seething commentary on ‘false prophets’ with “Apocalypse,” packed with bars and 8-bar hooks that depict a pastor dripping in anti-church hypocrisy. Highlights here are joints like “Lady Liberty,” where they drop lines like “Dear Lady Liberty, got a special delivery, a weapon of mass destruction for the corruption and tyranny.” Then there’s the outro, “Lonely Highway,” with its eerie atmosphere, and deep bars.
It’s hard to describe adequately without simply retyping all the lyrics, but bar-wise, this project is super ill. Eon MC Etc.’s verse on “Ghetto Birds,” for example, show how seasoned he is—this is by no means an amateur project. It’s a gem, real talk.
What stood out was their 8-minute mini-movie/video for “Grindin’ In My Zone,” with its chorus that chastises non-unique heads that come with that mediocre bullshit. The video depicts the duo as what I understand to be demon hunters who are attending some anything goes demon party. It’s incredibly well-executed and quite impressive.
Overall, it’s a unique project in a sea of shit that is trying way too hard to fit in. Worth a listen for anyone who is a fan of acts with the courage to keep it real and be themselves; Fighting Demons is AAHH approved.
