Lan Amore: “11 Kripes” – lyrical eloquence takes center stage
Lan Amore is a multi-talented hip hop artist from Connecticut who during final years of high school found a love for hip hop and rap through poetry and his older brother Zani. He created his moniker from his first name, Langa, to which he added “Amore”, which means love. “I choose ‘Amore’ because Love is a positive thing,” says Lan, “and in Hip hop there is so much negativity surrounding it that I wanted to be a source of positive energy in the scene.” Lan released his debut full length album “11 Kripes” on March 11th 2018. Described as a reflective of the mindset and attitude it takes to be great in this industry while also relating those themes to his personal life, the entire album was produced by Kid Ocean and Mixed/Mastered by Caden Ebert at The Nest Music Studio in Tariffville, CT.
From the opening lines of “11 Kripes” , Lan Amore pays especially close attention to the cadence and the enunciation of his lyrics, whether he’s waxing garrulous or reminiscent, the bars come to life – delivered with confidence, erudition, and passion. His passion also arcs over the music and production. Lan’s potential is so immense that it puts him in the uncomfortable position of living up to a level of artistic greatness that exists only in the upper echelons of the industry.
He comes at a time when Hip Hop is still begging for more saviors beyond the likes of Kendrick and J.Cole. A time when there are pressing socio-political and cultural issues that demand an icon. Lan Amore doesn’t pretend to be any kind of potential icon, he just rolls his sleeves up and menaces the microphone. Being an unsigned independent artist he is under no pressure to make a classic. And that’s how classics are made.
Once the first track, “Rebellion”, kicks off, it becomes clear that what this album does, is bring Lan to the masses minus all the big budget cameos, the glossy tricks and any other far reaching methods, the majors use, to claim crossover success. Lan is beyond that for the most part. “11 Kripes” finds Lan Amore creating free from any commercial chains and with absolutely no concerns, but the artistic quality of his work.
Lan’s lyrical eloquence takes front and center stage to personify the ideology of using Hip Hop as the soundtrack to his musical evolution while creating thought provoking street philosophy, social commentary, and personal introspection.
Nowhere is this all-inclusive global message more powerful than on the soulful “Force Field” and “Elevens”. What Lan has done is employ production that doesn’t overpower his lyricism and forces the listener to hear him.
So when we arrive at laid-back “Contrast” or the tongue twisting “One Of Us”, we can thoroughly savior his wordplay and laser-sharp flow. “Relax” is a perfect combination of luscious production and classic penmanship, while “Shuffle” channels flair and fervor into its inspiring lyrical package. More than halfway across the album, it’s no secret that much of Lan’s appeal comes from his ability to pen simultaneously poignant and gritty depictions of life’s experiences.
Both “Transparency” and “Change” are standouts in that respect, as the artist runs with a stream of consciousness that will leave the listener breathless. In terms of raw skill, a combination of insight and evocative storytelling ability “Forty-Seven” and “Straightforward”, come second to none on this album.
All throughout Lan Amore’s flow is the high-water mark of hip-hop lyricism. His delivery is always captivating in its breathlessness; his timbre is smooth and polished in total conformity with his startlingly clever rhymes and imagery. “11 Kripes” nails hip-hop’s essential elements and congeals them into a gorgeous whole, even greater than the sum of its parts.
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