Busdriver on Facebook | Busdriver on Bandcamp

On the tenuous fringes of what can be deemed rap there lies the reviled LA maverick, Busdriver. Who for years has been wowing unsuspecting audiences with his patented visceral onslaught of rants, rhyming and displaced musical sensibility. Whether sitting-in with unlikely cohorts such as; Islands, Daedelus, Z-Trip, TTC, Boom-Bip, 2mex etc., or plowing throw his enthralling solo sets, there is a distinct brand of showmanship employed and at least a handful of concert-goers who are maladjusted enough to submit to the shear unadulterated thrill ensued. Unrelenting touring and the willingness to embrace the transient nature of the road gives way to the title of his 5th solo album and Anti/Epitaph debut, RoadKillOvercoat. When asked what has been the personal impact of his modern-day troubadour lifestyle, BD states, I lament that I have become a serial-dater and that I now gauge my interest in people depending on how likely it is that I can coheres them into buying my merch.

Coming into the fold of the Project Blowed crew in the early 90s, BD was groomed early to be the die-hard stalwart for the post-Freestyle Fellowship/Goodlife approach. A torchbearer, if you will, for the likes of unsung heroes of the LA underground hip-hop scene. His first record, Memoirs of the Elephantman, was self-released and peddled hand-to-hand on CDRs in 1999. It wasnt until his second official title in 2002, Temporary Forever, that he garnered some nationwide attention and began carving his niche as a noteworthy freestyler and zany rap phenom.

The acclaim from his seminal sophomore release landed him a series of deals with the genre-blurring, tastemaker label Mush(US) and the underground hip-hop branch of Ninja Tune, Big Dada(UK). The Weather(Mush), in 2003, was the boundary-defying collaboration between fellow LA beatnik rambler Radioinactive and producer Daedelus, who is fawned over by IDM enthusiasts and reclusive music pundits alike. This lead to the Daddy Kev produced Cosmic Cleavage(Big Dada) in 2004, which touched on BDs qualms with heartbreak and the ins and outs of courting fickle, cutesy 20-somethings.

Only since Fear of a Black Tangent(Mush) in 2005, has BD solidified his place in the pantheon of undie rap do-gooders and indie music in general. The record playfully highlights BDs disdain for the prematurely plateaued career that he must lug here and fro, yet spares the listener of any bitter self-pity.

And just when things couldnt get any more fun, BD completes his most stellar effort to date, RoadKillOvercoat(Anti/Epitaph). Genres are toyed with, ravaged and masterfully exploited all in the context of BDs signature style, irreverence and sarcasm. The production, handled by Nobody (Ubiquity, Plug Research) and Boom-Bip (Lex), boasts a depth and bombast that has only been hinted at in previous BD releases.

All this being said, it is clear that BD is on the verge of breaking through another stratum of visibility. Get it while its hot.

Deantoni Parks on Facebook | Deantoni Parks on Bandcamp