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Underground Spotlight: Big Hoodoo
RnB/Hip Hop | Wednesday 3rd July 2013 | Matt
Over the last few months there have been numerous teasers, promo videos and statements released from underground record label ‘Psychopathic Records’, home of notorious Detroit ‘horrorcore’ rap group the Insane Clown Posse. These teasers have been promising a new entity to replace Twiztid (another well-known underground rap group who recently parted ways with the label). On July the 2nd it was revealed that the new entity was going to be ‘Big Hoodoo’.
Big Hoodoo released his first music video ‘hexed’ on June the 12th to give people an idea of what to expect from him in the future. The response amongst horrorcore and underground rap fans was mixed with many people claiming that no one would ever be able to replace their beloved Twiztid on their favourite underground rap label.
For those of you not familiar with Big Hoodoo, he is basically Detroit underground rapper Doe Dubbla but in a new guise. Now as Big Hoodoo he is an evil voodoo witch doctor who raps about his escapades as said witch doctor. I understand that if you are not familiar with Psychopathic Records and the gimmick filled world of horrocore rap this may sound completely ridiculous. It would seem that even to many of the most hardcore fans of the genre that this is a ridiculous and corny gimmick. However, I figured I would still give it a go…
Big Hoodoo’s debut album ‘Crystal Skull’ was finally released yesterday. When my album arrived the target market was immediately apparent by just looking at the cover. It shows Big Hoodoo in full voodoo makeup and attire surrounded by numerous skulls. This would immediately put off your typical mainstream fan of artists like Drake and Kanye West. If this wasn’t enough there is also a huge ‘featuring Insane Clown Posse’ sticker, showing us exactly the fan base it is aimed at.
The gimmick is fairly interesting and allows for some pretty unique and entertaining songs that sets him apart from what could be considered an already overcrowded genre. There are times that it does come across as a little too cartoony and childish which isn’t helped by the fairly simple rhyme structure and delivery. That being said Hoodoo’s voice and charisma suit the theme and beats perfectly and makes it an album that is easy to listen to all the way through without having to skip any tracks. The topics covered, asides from the voodoo spells and whatnot, are fairly typical to the genre; murder and death, troubled childhood and poverty and drugs and alcohol but they are mostly presented in an original way. The Insane Clown Posse features don’t really add much and are probably just there to help sell the product. It is obvious that the group had a huge role in the making of this record but that is not necessarily a bad thing considering they have been doing this type of thing for over two decades now.
Overall is this is a pretty strong debut album. It will never win over fans of mainstream rap/r'n'b but I don’t think that was ever the intention. If people would be willing to give it a chance I see no reason why Big Hoodoo couldn’t become a staple act of the label and the genre. Whether that will happen or not has yet to be seen.
Matt Watkins
