emotional – The Concordian

On OOFIE, the eccentric New York MC is growing up and growing weary of his place in hip hop’s landscape

When we last heard from Wiki, it was on his 2017 studio debut No Mountains in Manhattan. A beautiful love letter to his hometown, filled with bouncy beats and playful punchlines. Though it’s only been two years, it feels like a lifetime. He has grown up and grown more fearful of failure and being replaced.

On OOFIE, Wiki is expressing feelings of fear and doubt that we’ve never heard so openly in his music before. It’s an honest depiction of a teenage hip hop prodigy hitting his mid-20s, afraid that he might have also hit his ceiling. A sentiment that’s present throughout the album, though it’s almost paradoxical as he’s sharper than ever.

The fun qualities in his voice and delivery are still present, but are refined, making his words seem punchier and more purposeful. His flows range from simple and effective to dense and multi-syllabic, and on top of these structural improvements, his writing has gotten much more personal and emotionally striking.

He is joined on a few songs by a fantastic crop of features, including Princess Nokia and Lansky Jones. While they all do a great job, they do momentarily take away from how personal the project feels. It’s like watching a movie scene where the protagonist is delivering an emotional speech, and a supporting cast member interrupts him with an extended, unrelated monologue.

Wiki’s music is aging gracefully, improving on his most lovable qualities and using them to deliver more mature content. Shedding his label as the wild, whimsical young wordsmith from Manhattan, he has grown into being a young elder statesman and a pillar in New York’s independent hip hop scene.

8.5/10

Trial Track: “Downfall”

Star Bar:

“Who is he? Is that what they’ll say in the eulogy?

Will they say between you and me

He was an idol when he was in the right mood

When he wasn’t fucked up, when he wasn’t tight, woo” (Wiki on “Downfall”)

Why we need to start embracing emotions rather than fiercely rejecting them

If emotions make you sensitive, passionate or compassionate toward others, congratulations, you’re an empath. Plenty of people are glad that the word ‘empath’ exists. And yes, I suppose it is needed. But only in relation to the super messed up society we live in, which tells us that feeling anything other than indifferent is gross.

Think about it: you can’t feel hungry anymore without also being body shamed. You can’t feel shy without also feeling like a loser. And God forbid you feel sad or concerned for someone else, because that sure is useless!

So this word is used to differentiate those who acknowledge emotions from those who pretend they don’t. And now, empaths are made to feel like they’re overemotional. If we get emotional at work, we’re deemed “unprofessional.” Among friends, we’re known as “the sensitive one.” In the dating world, showing emotional depth is equated with vulnerability. But what are we vulnerable to? Understanding? Acceptance? Connection?

Indeed, we empaths seldom look at ourselves (or each other) in a positive light, and that’s a real shame. Because being thoughtful and compassionate is the first step to true heroism. So no, I don’t think it’s fair that the word ‘emotion’ gets tethered to other words with negative connotations, like immature, fragile and, worst of all, weak.

But in a world that worships fake looks over real personality, it’s no wonder everyone is striving to feel as much as a cardboard cut-out. Social media, television and pop culture have done a fantastic job at fooling us into believing life is all about fronts. This hasn’t just propagated unrealistic standards of beauty, it has promoted unrealistic standards of what it means to be human.

Under the example of celebrities, political leaders and #influencers, feeling 100 per cent fierce 100 per cent of the time has become everyone’s main goal. You’re not supposed to feel heartbroken; you’re supposed to feel numbness toward romance, yet with an insatiable need to have sassy sex with strangers. You’re not allowed to feel nervous when speaking in front of a crowd; what you ought to feel is extreme assurance that you own the room. If you’re anything less than certain that your presence is a privilege unto all who cross your path, then you’re not strong, and that’s pathetic.

This is the lie we empaths have internalized, thanks to the sickening logic of self-absorbed capitalists who toy with our emotions to fill up their pocketbooks. And it makes sense for them to trick us; the more walls we build, the more we underestimate the value of immaterial pleasures like true friendship and romance. Indeed, equating emotion to weakness is just another clever marketing strategy used by public figures to keep the rest of us locked in a matrix of chronic insecurity. Feelings shouldn’t be talked about—they should be covered up with a brand-name poker face, right?

Wrong. So, so wrong. Behind even the most decked-out bulletproof vest beats the heart of a living, breathing, feeling human. To my fellow empaths, as you go about your daily lives, being made to feel inferior because of the intensity with which you perceive the world, please remember this: to the right person (i.e. another empath) your ability to be authentic will make you more attractive than even the most airbrushed Kardashian or thick-skinned Hercules.

One day, you’ll meet someone who will love and embrace you, not in spite of your feelings but precisely because of them. So don’t feel ashamed… just feel.

Graphic by @spooky_soda