Hip Hop Habit: Konsep
posted in: Features • Urban
Nestled somewhere deep beneath a sea of dreads are the thoughts of Adrian Boykin (a.k.a. rapper Konsep), thoughts that provide the fuel for some of the most diverse and infectious hip hop on the site today. Surfacing on the scene in Northern Dallas via Chicago’s South Side, Konsep’s EP Enovative Inglish immediately recalls fellow Chicago stalwarts”the unyielding dogma of Kanye West (evident in Real Hip Hop), the instrumentally lush creations of Lupe Fiasco (heard in narratives like Hero) and the home-brewed underground realism of Common (most audible in Rearview). And if you think these comparisons are way out of reach, think again. Konsep is incredibly well- connected. 
As stated in his bio, his rhymes have traversed the industry’s hip hop web from the hands of Russell Simmons to Cash Money, and according to a line in Real Hip Hop, he even runs with the Dead Prez crew. If you need photographic proof of these ties, just check his profile for a Kodak moment he shared with a certain doggy dog.
So what about his music? Real Hip Hop casts Boykin’s larger-than-life persona against a heroic backdrop”his rampant ego rattling eardrums over a brazen and cinematic soundscape setting the stage for a supernatural showdown: The man above it all/ yes I am his son. His arguably unwarranted arrogance may initially leave a sour taste however Konsep goes on to prove his depth through social observations later in the track, sagaciously spelling out: Life is a routine/ he rap she sing/ look back, damn we all chasin’ the same dream/ I’m here to educate/ aw watch them hesitate/ if crack was a class then we’d all fuckin’ gradate.
Boykin pulls the dials down a few notches in Hero, a fragile, piano-centered beat featuring angelic vocals from frequent collaborator Dani Chels and irregularly candid lyrics from a man once trumpeting his one way ticket to the top. All unforeseen juxtaposition aside, Hero highlights Konsep’s multidimensional versatility, 
a welcome attribute in a contemporary mainstream rap scene plagued with the emotional inflexibility that amplified machismo brings. Such vulnerabilities are exhibited in verse lines like I miss my baby girl and a I really wanna keep her/ but her mama wont let me cause her daddy is a cheater and a chorus underlining the track’s downtrodden sentiment of waiting on a helping hand that never shows ”Hero save me/ they try and break me but/ can’t wait no longer I just/ keep getting stronger.
Only 19-years-old, this budding star has plenty of time to make his mark. With networking skills any amateur would envy and enough natural born talent to catch the ears of noteworthy labels, Konsep”so long as he stays course”should be a household name in years to come. Listen to his tracks in the player below and let us know what you think in the comments!