Domo Genesis stays ‘Under the Influence’ on new mixtape
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If you strictly skimmed the alternately rapturous and repelled Odd Future press links, you’d leave with a monolithic image of eight kids scarcely out of their teens, solely out for shock value, sex jokes and skateboards. Of course, that’s part of the appeal, especially for their heavily teenage audience, but there’s always been an unusual amount of emotion, whether embedded in solipsistic rants at absentee parents or their ardor for the finest smoke.
In the case of Domo Genesis, it’s the latter, an almost monomaniacal love of the most elite strains of sativa that a weed card can purchase. But beneath the THC amounts that could tranquilize a saber tooth tiger, Domo is a serious student of rap. Unlike many of their peers, the Odd Future kids take their craft seriously. In recent months, the stray tracks leaked by Hodgy Beats and Domo have shown their rhyme schemes and punchlines growing sharper with each 16-bar verse. See ‘Mission Statement,’ in which Domo eloquently breaks down his ambitions and upbringing.
And while Tyler, the Creator might inveigh against the old underground heads who don’t understand, Domo has always had a different perspective. When I interviewed him, he told me that Slick Rick invented swag, and on his new mixtape, he even flips Mobb Deep’s ‘Drop a Gem on Em’ into the standout, ‘Benediction.’ Other beats he pillages include Scarface’s ‘Guess Who’s Back,’ Kanye’s ‘Whole City Behind Me,’ and ‘We Major.’
His rhyme style is laid back but never lazy, the rhymes well constructed and in the mold of Curren$y and Smoke DZA. In fact, his new tape ‘Under the Influence’ feels like something you’d expect to come out to the Jets crew rather than the Wolf Pack. Of course, Tyler makes an appearance bragging that he bought a house the day that ‘Goblin’ dropped and vouching for Game’s description of him as the ‘Black Eminem.’
Just 20, Domo might lack the absurd but open-book relateability of Tyler, but he’s a deceptively strong rapper and always fun to listen to. Obviously, people are paying attention, because ‘Under the Influence’ has racked up nearly 140,000 downloads since it was first released a few days ago. It’s focused and rarely lacking in style — or yeah, swag, if that’s your preferred slang. You can download it below, though be forewarned that this is an Odd Future project, so it’s definitely not safe for work.
Download: Domo Genesis-Under the Influence [.zip file]
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— Jeff Weiss