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August, '05 Update

© Paul Landkamer

I don't know where Lyrycyst is from, originally, but there's just enough east-coast sneer in his vocals to make me wonder if he's from other than my native Midwest. There wasn't, however, quite enough sneer to have it come across as bad-attitude rap (that's a good thing). His American Dream and America grabbed my attention, as it obviously did to a great many in the crowd.

Lots of Lyrycyst's numbers had senior citizens groovin' to the rap, daddys dancing with their little girls in their arms, people of all types (me included) clapping to the beat, then wild cheering to the lyrics. The rapper who I think comes closest, at least from what my narrow rap-experience has revealed to me, is T-Bone. T-Bone's rap has been called "stacatto rap." That's to say the lyrics are popped off extremely fast, with hardly time to catch a breath. Lyrycyst raps to pre-recorded tracks, but has live back-up singers, and dancers. A great thing about Lyrycyst's rap is that I can understand it --almost on the first go-around.

I don't really know Lyrycyst, but his and my church home are the same. I'd known his girlfriend since she was the little girl who lived down the hill. She always played on her swingset behind our house on Whiteman Air Force Base. I even did a slide-show on wild plants for her brother's Cub Scout den. Her dad was in missile maintenance, as was I. I'd known one of Lyrycyst's back-up singers since she was a little girl in acting classes with my daughter. I got to hear her sing in those acting class performances, and later when she was in high school choir with my son. Her parents were in our small-group Bible study for a while. I even knew his photographer from church, whose parents were in our Sunday school class. It even turns out Lyrycyst's step dad works with my son. My son mentioned it earlier, but, I didn't make the connection until Jen (son's girlfriend, who accompanied me to the concert) mentioned they worked at the same place. Despite all these connections, I don't really know Lyrycyst at all.

He sold me a CD while he was on stage, and apparently, while I was out picking it up, his dancers did a fairly spectacular break-dance thing. I missed it! Anyway, that CD has seen lots more than only one go-around. [4]