An 8-track composition that spans life with all its dimensions, Kid Anansi’s “KID ANASI” tackles the topics of sexuality, racial intolerance, the usual 9-5 work routine, introspective thoughts, and so much more through the lenses of a Black man who you might say has been on the receiving end of most of societal injustices. Even though he tries to soften the blows through his whimsical tone, balancing hard, stinging truths with humorous wordplay and delivery. After performing on the BAFTA award-winning first season of Life & Rhyme alongside Benjamin Zephaniah in 2020, Kid Anansi decided to take his spoken word seriously, a journey that has led to this defining moment as he debuts his self-titled album that is expected to mark a significant milestone in his budding career.
“Jamal’s Not Bad At sex…But” is the opener for this captivating album and one that immediately ingratiates itself with the listener thanks to the self-deprecating humor peppered throughout as Kid Anansi makes fun of his ‘bed game’ with somewhat not-so-subtle jibes.
In the next piece, “Diversity Policy,” Anansi is critical of the harsh reality of a man/woman of African-American descent in any setting with white folks and how quickly it can transform into an uncomfortable experience. His words are deep and still quoted with mischief, and I feel that he just falls short of respectfully calling those judgmentally stereotypical folks across the room ‘unbearably pompous bloviating pieces of sanctimonious sh*t!’ Or so, I thought! This piece has some gently accompanying piano undertones also.
Moving on, “Shxt on Company Time” playfully captures the diaries of the usual 9-5 job and how it’s imperative that you only do just enough and as required of you—sacrificing so much and overworking yourself in the hope that the boss notices you are not it because, at the end of it all, you will just be making them richer, and you’ll be surprised at how easily they’d be willing to sacrifice you when your services are no longer needed or when you are deemed surplus to requirements. My biggest takeaway: “You don’t owe your employer one second more of what they underpay!” Truer words have never been spoken, brother!
In life, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you replay all your moments in life in your mind. Because what are you without memories, without regrets to ponder, without fantasies to embrace or to reject? Essentially, what comes to you depends on how hard you pray and how much you suffer. This is the diary of a pensive man truthfully and fancifully captured in “Diary Of A Lost Man” as Kid Anansi introspectively captures the complexities of a life that seems stagnant no matter how fast one is pacing at it!
With “The Death Of Fascism,” Kid Anansi is perhaps reminding us that behind every milestone of human history stands a monster. It is a piece that has been delivered with dramatic flair as Anansi critically deconstructs the far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement that is characterized by dictatorship, centralized autocracy, militarism, and forcible suppression of opposition. His words are raw and honest, and his delivery is expressive.
The last two pieces, “Let Me Tell You A Little Bit About Myself” and “How Straight Am I?” are both live performances that Anansi performed at a theater somewhere, as he blends both reality and humor to convey his human psyche as well as sexuality to the enchantment of the audience and indeed a listener lucky enough to be listening. You can tell through his delivery that he has a knack for poetry, and his stage presence is magnetic, and yeah, he’s got an undeniably charismatic personality as well.
Marking such a noteworthy breakthrough in his trailblazing career, this self-titled debut album is just the start of so much for Kid Anansi as he prepares to take over the world of spoken word, music, and comedy, one performance at a time.
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