Mellah Nix embodies that artistic drive that not all ‘rappers’ possess; that is, he’s against the grain to the degree that suggests he creates for the sake of creating—not monetary gain (necessarily). Where many of today’s artist’s draw influence from either Pac and BIG, or — dependent on age — Drake and Soulja Boy, Mellah draws great influence from media forms such as anime, erotic film actresses, and obscure rock album covers. That explains a lot. Having overcome a lot of adversity, his music is full of depth, and complexity, as well as contemporary swag.
His latest mixtape, Kaijoo.Random.Tekneeq, is ten tracks long, and a seemingly diverse blend of things. It kicks off with Kanye’s epic rant at Paris’ Le Zenith, where he compared himself to the genius that is Steve Jobs and Walt Disney. It’s a bold statement that he follows up with a reimagined take on the Beatnuts’ cult-hit “Off The Book.” His chant, “I’m an artist, I’m an artist, I’m artist, I think outside the box,” is a testament to his love of hip-hop in its purest form.
He seems to have a penchant for wordplay reminiscent of artists like Kool Keith and, to a degree, Riff Raff; that is to say his obscure metaphors make for unique rhyme schemes. His style, though, has an overall appeal that seems to compete a little with the production at points. Like his rendition of “Jumpman,” which he calls “Green Man.” Also some mixing, on “Butterfly Man” for example, is sonically off-putting, with lyrics that are louder than the beat. Although considering his aura, this project plays out with the self-produced quality of MF DOOM’s first few albums regarding their overall presentation.
All in all, it’s a good listen. Add Mellah Nix’s new mixtape to your playlist. If you’re looking for something different, this is it.