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STIMULUS:
A Kings County Tale
By Julie Chazyn
In his album A Kings County Tale, to be released October 10, rapper Stimulus stimulates his listeners with what he describes as a narrative story about the County of Brooklyn (also known as Kings County). Through his songs, he maps out a journey worth looking into.
"Brooklyn was my inspiration; it has royal connotation," he said in a phone interview. "Being around all these different types of cultures gives you insight. It's royal for my art."
Raised in Brooklyn, New York, the rap artist uses the musical influences from his Caribbean background to infuse reggae sounds that work to mellow his often dramatic lyrics.
Stimulus, whose real name is Ian Lawrence, said his lyrics are direct descendants of his upbringing. He received a scholarship to a prep high school and a Philosophy degree from Vassar College, but he's had to live and survive around hardship and struggling. As a result, he can build songs that are infused with strands of reality, giving light to an album that tackles normality with sensitivity.
"I'm telling my story but I'm giving a voice to the common man, who has to pay the bills, to pay back college loans, or just go to college," he said about his song "The Middle." "I want to acknowledge that person, which is also a part of me; the struggle to live in a capitalist society with its pressures and requirements–what sacrifices artists have to take."
He points out, however, that his songs are only meant to showcase different aspects of the truth and not dictate it. "I'm not here to pass judgment. I'm offering different ways to look at things."
As a member of the live hip hop band named The Real Live Show, where he performs shows throughout New York, Stimulus uses songs as an outlet and a voice. But if his new album is any indication, his aims are much higher.
"I've stuck to writing," he said of his 15-track album. "This album took me two and half years [to complete] because I didn't want to rush it, I wanted the songs to come together and I wanted to tell a story rooted in hip-hop format. I wanted to bring out different textures and sounds; as an artist that's part of my responsibility."
For more information check out: www.myspace.com/stimdash.
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