Hip-hop in its most lyrical form is perhaps the most powerful storytelling vehicle in the world right now. Queens MC Akinyemi decided to embrace his artistic license on “eurydice,” an adventurous re-telling of the Greek mythology story. For those who slept through English in 9th grade, the classic is about Orpheus leading his wife from the the underworld through song – on Hades’ condition that he not look back at her. At the root, the story is a parable on faith, which the young lyricist reinterprets for the 99s and 2000s.
Rhyming over an atmospheric, arresting soundscape produced by eddie res, Akinyemi plays with a calm, melodic delivery before delving into rapid-fire bars showcasing the ability that will be fully on display throughout his to-be-released summers EP. He culls from the Greek standard to wax on universal themes of self-doubt, especially in the context of love.
The song was paired with a mysterious Dan DeMeco and Marina Oriente-crafted visual that shows Akinyemi rhyming in the darkness and roaming in the woods as a woman – presumably Eurydice – trails him. Of all the story’s re-tellings and references listed on the Wiki page, Akinyemi is one of the few hip-hop artists whose done such. Kudos to him.
