Thoughts On: Blind Elephant

Recommend Listening: Lyrical Miracle, Press Harder, Selfish

Welcome back to Thoughts On: Summer Edition, a special name given to my write ups over summer because they may or may not be delayed by whatever. 2015 continues to be a fantastic year for Hip-Hop music and as summer approaches we can expect even more huge hits from the likes of Kanye West, Pusha T, Frank Ocean, Chance The Rapper, and possibly Vic Mensa and MF Doom. In the midst of these super star releases however I think it is important to continue searching for thinks outside the biggest name or the top sellers because once you push aside the money and fame what you usually get is raw talent and sincerity. These traits, and more, define the album 'Blind Elephant' by rapper Gemstones. Now to me this project came out of the blue but upon listening this hyper religious/political/personal project really made me reflect on what I means to be a fan of Hip-Hop, both from a fans perspective and a rappers perspective. While not perfect the albums aggressive yet honest nature and unwavering ability to stay true to itself through its 50 minutes really caught my attention and got me writing.

So who is Gemstones? While from his name you may suspect he is a prominent “money, girls, etc.” rapper created in the bling era of rap, Demarco Castle is far from it. This Chicago born and raised rapper was actually once on Lupe Fiasco's 1^st and 15^th label around the time of Lupes first two major album releases, in fact I remember seeing Gemstones name (Formerly Gemini) list as a song feature and not knowing who he was. I figured he was just a one time feature that I would never hear past this song and in a lot of ways I was right. While his additions to songs like 'The Die' and 'Dumb it Down' helped make those songs amazing I heard nothing of his solo work until coming this album through the HHH subreddit online. As a huge Lupe fan I figured I owed it to Gemstones to give him a chance but then I wondered why I had never heard from him. Turns out soon after 'The Cool' dropped Gemstones retired from the rap game. The meaning of why we discuss in more detail as we get into the album but from my understanding his heart was simply not in it anymore. In a world where money is power and the music industry is all about money I can see how the pressure could get to a mans soul and soil his art. However instead of giving up Gemstones returned to the Hip-Hop world after being saved by god and devoting his life through his faith. Now at this point many people rolled their eyes, a familiar story often times used to save face or get attention, but in 2012 after Gemstones dropped his mixtape 'Elephant in the Room' many people took this mans word as bond. Gemstone excels in painting dark pictures through his lyrical narrative and somehow always squeezing in bits of hope in his stories. While he is not afraid to dive into the darker side of humanity this rappers goals seem to be to tell his story and save lives.

So what does the album sound like? Well it starts of with 'Quick Go In', a fast paced guitar driven instrumental over which we hear Gemstones star the album with a prayer. Not the kind of prayer in which he asks for his album to be blessed or his words to reach people but rather just a thank you for everything he feels as though God has provided to him in life. After this he starts with an aggressive verse about how he has gotten to where he was, from recording in basements to being fed with the strings that tug at the music industry and to his own redemption. This intro serves not only as introduction to the album but as an overture to Gemstones character. We get a fast and frantic flow that catches you off guard and lets you know that the man behind the mic means business. In the second track 'Believe' the fast pace slows down and we get choir like melodies rising and falling in pitch for effect as Gemstones recites another prayer, this time asking for defense and protection. Then a snare drum and guitar come in and the song becomes a bit of a heavy ballad about Gemstones desire to believe in himself and be more than he is now. It is also important that in this song there is no rapping, Gem is singing and the instrumental provides the perfect dramatic backdrop to this self-reflective record. One of the reasons I think this track (and a lot of the album) is so powerful is because so far in this album it never feels as though Gem is trying to force religion down our throats. Many peoples problem with religion is never the religion itself but rather how it can be used as an excuse rather than a motive or reason. Tons of rappers use religious references in their music or general life styles (Kendrick, Kanye, Tyler the creator, etc.) but how they use them influences how preachy we perceive their music to be. At the second track it becomes clear that not only is Gemstones super religious, but he is incorporating that fully into this album because that is just who he is. 

Seemingly in a manner assure us that it is okay to do that we get a dark track 'Lyrical Miracle' to pull us into the mind of man torn between the world his faith. In this piano driven song supported by bass and deep blaring horns Gemstones lyrically proclaims himself a beast and rare breed in a world where many rappers fall short. Though he does not just say it in his words you can feel it in his delivery and cadence, the man is on a mission and samples his own intro 'Fire in my heart' from his 2012 mixtape (which was in a way supposed to be a setup for this) via the lyrics “June 20th a Gemini is born, Ain't no secret I'm murdering anything I get on”. Through this lyrically abrasive tune we get a look into a part of Gemstones nature that may have little to do with his faith, we get to see his skill as a rapper take center stage while still keeping consistent with the theme of the album so far, the theme being to make something memorable. Next up to cool us down after the speed of the previous track we get another piano fueled track by the name of 'Press Harder' where in a very 2009 Fashawn like fashion Gemstones tells a personal story about his love life and later his writers block. All the while smooth jam is encouraging you to try again and press harder. Revealing how he feels like an outcast the second half of the song is sung and again you can feel the rappers sincerity through his music. He references a Safety pin in this song, which is a re-occurring theme through the album starting from the first song, and I think in this song I has the clearest symbolic meaning. Most of the songs on this album are pretty short, but they all carry their message swiftly and clearly. Unlike Lupe's often mythical style of rapping and wordplay Gemstones knows what he wants to say and how to say it. In what I think is the political track on the album 'New World', Gemstones speaks on what he feels the world is becoming. Taking a bit of a conspirator's point of view he raps about wire taps, the presence of otherworldly life, and denial of said life in America. All this to paint the picture of how he feels the country is being ripped apart because of an “Un-united nation”. As the kick snare patterns suddenly give way to acoustic guitar chords Gemstones talks about a conversation he had with a friend in which he learned that music is not about money but about power. It is a nice easy to understand metaphor for everything you love turning on its head and giving way to something much uglier.

Skipping a track we move onto 'Temple', which reminds me of 'Jesus Walks' in a lot of ways. Meaning that it is a religious track that does feel like such because it is more of Gemstones interpretation of his faith rather than him trying to convert us. In this song it is revealed he learned of Jesus threw his Grandma and later found him out his own desire to be saved. Personally as a black male this song reminds of why religion is necessary in a lot of our culture. While some may see it as a dumb dependence on nothing to a lot of black people it represents a saving rope and way to keep yourself on track in life. In this song we get to see what Jesus means to the rapper not just because it was passed down but because there is something about the spirit that Gemstones was simply drawn to. Not only that but the great production on this song (rising chords, a steady kick drum, and simple piano melodies that later give way into a gospel like clap session) and makes you want to move along with the message. In the darkest record on the album, 'Selfish', we get a song a about depression and the desire to kill yourself. He tells the story of a child molested and how they become cynical and self-loathing because of it. The story takes a steady believable descent of the characters sadness and all the factors that slowly close in on they cause them to attempt suicide. It is at this point that Gemstone takes turn in tone and starts to bestow positvity onto the previously stated character. The somber piano and haunting vocals turn into brighter chords with a tambourine hit steadily thrown in to give it a church vibe. From here until the songs end he bestows upon his listener the power to rise above all evil in life, addictions, financial loss, etc. and reminds us that we are the ultimate factors in our destiny. With such a shift in tone this song becomes one of the most prominent on the album and shows that Gemstones is really trying to make a difference with his music and not just hit numbers. 

In 'Almost Home' the positivity continues and Gemstones advocates fro his black brethren in less advantaged communities pushed toward less then desirable outcomes because of the environments they are put in. He speaks on how he himself has been a victim of others peoples will, getting screwed by the industry and being put in box because of his desire to rap and sing, but reminds us that the finish line is coming. Now personally I think he is talking about the rapture but this could also just be interpreted as better times. He also criticizes those who only use God's will or name to make a presence for themselves, stating they only want the money not the responsibility or influence. On the last song of the album, 'Rapture', which starts with a very Elton John-esque piano intro before picking up and adding kicks and snares We get a very detailed depiction of the rapture, or end of times in terms of Christian lore. Gemstones uses this song to encourage people to repent and meet Jesus before it is took late and there is nothing left for us. It is admittedly an odd way to end an album but it leaves us with a strong message about karma. Those who act out now will one day have to answer for their actions, and those in the right are gaining the favor of a high power. Religious or not I do not think anyone can argue with the message of bad things happen to bad people, and as the album closes with a child explaining what they think the rapture would be like you get the sense of how scary the world must to a child growing up in this dark times and how important it is to make sure the we get out this positive message while we can.

As a Religion minor the study of faith and how it affects the daily lives of others fascinates me. Personally I do not mind religious references or lore in music, as long as they tastefully integrated. Gemstones is a Christian rapper, straight up, but that in no way diminishes his skill as a rapper or his message as a person. Much like Lecrae is respected despite his faith I believe Gemstones and his album should be praised for what it does well and critiqued for what it does not do so well, just like any album not soiled by those scared of religious overtones. This artist put not only his skill, but his faith out in the world to create this message fusing biblical prayer and lore with personal stories of struggle and a universal understanding of the desire to be a better person. While it is not perfect and two of the songs I skipped I did so because I felt they lacked proper context, as a whole this album surprised me in a good way. I look forward to listening to Gemstones previous work and looking out for his future blends of rap, intense vocal hooks, raw or graphic storytelling, and sincere meaning behind it all. If you hate anything remotely religious I recommend you skip this but if you are willing to dive in and listen to a unique look through a Christian rappers eyes then I suggest you: LISTEN SOON. Thank you all for reading this weeks Thoughts On, next week I will hopefully be reviewing 'Surf' if it drops and if not I will go back in time and talk about an awesome mixtape or album from a few years back. Heres to the start of an amazingly musical summer.