Sideshow can be as blunt as a hammer. Despite the 10K rapper's deft cadences and vivid instrumentals, his raps are stark and straightforward about the unglamorous realities of human life. These inky shadows thrust his flexes and celebrations into high relief on new single "LIFES AS VIOLENT AS YOU MAKE IT," the first offering from TIGRAY FUNK, out Feb. 27.
Produced by frequent collaborator Alexander Spit, "LIFES AS VIOLENT" rides a jaunty piano loop that belies the sky-high emotional stakes in Sideshow's bars. "You need advice or you need a weapon?" he asks dryly. He's reminiscing on bygone days of serving as a teen and scoffing at unseen opps obscured by tinted windows in between throwing $1s at the club and watching the speedometer spike up to 120 on the highway. Later on, he'll declare "I got some questions for God, need answers," while in the video, his face gets bloodier and bloodier.
TIGRAY FUNK caps off two years of recording for Sideshow, grappling with the personal impact of the Tigray War in Ethiopia and the political implications of being a Black man in America. Backed by production courtesy of Tony Seltzer, Laron, Anysia Kym, harrison, and Popstar Benny, the album synthesizes Sideshow's nomadic upbringing with his eclectic rap influences. Niontay, El Cousteau, Kelow Latesha and SEXWORKS also feature on the 32-track project.
Sideshow is currently supporting Earl Sweatshirt on the European leg of his 3L World Tour.
See the full TIGRAY FUNK tracklist
1. SIGNS+SYMBOLS (feat. SEXWORKS)
2. KILL FROM THE HEART
3. VOLUME METRIC
4. SOFT TOOTH TIGER
5. I AM DA CAPTAIN
6. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE (feat. Kelow Latesha)
7. MARTYR MOST HIGH
8. HEART 2 A FEATHER
9. 3EEP IT 2OGETHER (feat. El Cousteau)
10. FLOOD 2 FRENZY
11. LIFES AS VIOLENT AS YOU MAKE IT
12. BLAME BURNAYS
13. ALMOST FAMOUS
14. WAR GAMES
15. CCP LIKE OTO
16. YARDBIRD
17. WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL ARE YOU?
18. ALENA(ኣለና)PARADISE LOST
19. SOLID SNAKE
20. BANDIDO GENEROSO
21. SCHIZSHOW BOB
22. ALOVENARCOTIC
23. WHY WOULD YOU WANT SUCH THINGS?
24. INVADER JIM
25. WRETCHED OF THE EARTH
26. HAPPY MACHINE (feat. Niontay)
27. PUSSY RIOT!
28. YEAR OF THE FIRE HORSE
29. LOOK WHAT OUR STOMACH MADE US …
30. INTERNATIONAL SODA CLUB
31. +5
32. CHAOS CONSTANT
The cover for TIGRAY FUNK
