One Track Mind

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If there is something Random doesn’t want to be, it’s just another rapper–and believe me, he is anything but. The Philadelphia native turned Phoenix resident loves nothing more than confounding expectations. His conscious hip-hop has resulted in collaborations and concerts with Talib Kweli, Little Brother, and Common among others, but the most infamous entry in his catalog is the nerdcore-friendly 2007 full-length Mega Ran.

That album, an homage to the 1987 Nintendo game Mega Man, caused a stir among those with geeky proclivities and an appreciation of slick rhymes, receiving the attention of publications including Blender, Wired, and IGN, garnering Random a performance slot at Comic-Con, and ultimately landing a licensing agreement with Capcom. Add to that Random’s former role as a special education teacher and the fact that his albums are studied as part of courses at Temple University, Penn State, and Virginia Tech, and you start to understand what makes Random so extraordinary.

“Splash Woman” is the third cut from 2009′s Mega Ran 9 and is a giddy, chiptune fueled romp. Its production is ridiculously tight, turning the 8-bit video game flavors into something thumping and anthemic. When the retro sounds fall by the wayside about four minutes in and are replaced by a more contemporary mix, it becomes clear that the throwback soundtrack isn’t a crutch. Random could pull off his bizarrely engaging narrative over any beat, but the chunky, sinusoidal NES groove is what suits it best. Through a poignantly personalized perspective, “Splash Woman” breathes life into a scene with the arm-cannoned hero. I’m not exactly sure how, but it works. Weird as it is, yes, it just works–and I, for one, can’t stop listening to this track.

Here’s where to catch Random live at SXSW:
March 17, 2010 – Karma Lounge