To be honest, I’m not the most seasoned person in terms of rap or hip hop music out there, but Krukid’s Raisin in the Sun, though containing some things I am not quite fond of, has really impressed me with his insightful perspective on life and African experiences.
The lyrics describing his immigration experience and stay in the States are first and foremost worthy of praise. The first track off his 2005 full-English-rapped album Raisin in the Sun, “Intro,” begins with a light-hearted conversation between Krukid and his friend—a talk about personal motives to go to the United States. Krukid’s immigration experience is primarily elucidated in his song “African American, American African,” where he raps, “Hey yo I’m black and I’m proud of it, the crowd love it, cause I’m the new scapegoat for the general public.” These lyrics sum up the historically well-known collective nationalist spirit of the Africans, while also describing the Ugandan-born MC’s experience in the States, and the clash of cultural expectations he’s experienced on both sides of the Atlantic. In an interview, he mentions he wrote this song with the intention of “trying to talk about me getting here [the United States], the differences between people, how people view themselves, little things everybody thinks about each other or perpetuated by the media.” In the chorus, Krukid emphasizes the conflict between dual identities— African and American—and an overwhelming sense of pressure to conform to the white society: “African American, American African see the same sh*t and we’re here and there back again/ a race fearing over who got the blackest skin, African American, American African.” He also offers some harsh criticism against colonialism and the impact it has had and continues to have on the African race (“I wonder what the f*ck they did, forcing their culture on my homies and little kids”). The remainder of the album includes slow jams about women, an engaging narrative of a young female who makes unfortunate decisions (“True Story”), tales of seducing women and having one night stands (“Stay All Night”), and sappy love songs (such as “Dreaming” or “Can’t Stop Loving You”). Krukid also offers a sarcastic viewpoint on conforming to the black stereotype and criticizes black racism on socioeconomic status (“that way they can have a reason to refuse to hire me…give me minimum wage, or when I get a promotion I’ll get minimal raise”).
My main criticism of the album would be that it comes off a little too largely dependent on the slow songs. To me, the standout tracks are those with a bit more adrenaline. Still, Krukid’s smooth, relaxed rhymes and laid-back style successfully compliments the more upbeat back tracks. Because he speaks on various topics with a swagger very similar to that of Jay-Z, Krukid doesn’t come across as being pretentious but rather conversational. This seems to help him address his intended audience with a more serious tone—perhaps, with more attention to the generic white society, as his lyrics do intend to target. From his love-stricken songs, one could presume that his lyrics were also intended as free aids for those who might have slight difficulty in communicating their love to others. On the whole, Raisin in the Sun is inspiring and makes for a solid release.
Article Source: http://worldhiphopmarket.com/krukid-interview/722 (Krukid’s interview with TheSource.com)