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Lucien Parker has never been shy about sharing his feelings.
While a lot of emcees choose to push some tough guy act or boast about financial success,
Parker, a Minneapolis native turned Madison resident, is an open book, emotionally. On the four projects he’s released over the last two years, he lets us know when he’s happy and when he’s heartbroken. It’s a relatively rare — and refreshing — trait for a rapper. And he has the ability to get introspective while deftly gliding over the beat.
Thankfully, Parker’s new album — the eight-track EP Mephoria — stays true to this pattern, aided by a variety of smooth, fluid beats from a handful of different producers.
Starting off with the title track, Parker battles between being selfish and selfless after a breakup as he hums a hook over a simple piano loop. Up next, “White Tips” features funky synths as the emcee waxes about the unwanted attention of ex-lovers. On “Any Means Necessary,” one of the stronger yet simpler tracks, Parker expresses his desire for success as a quick drum loop hammers along.
Things get more complicated on “Common Knowledge,” a quick rollercoaster of a song where Parker sings and raps through personal interactions while also contemplating the confusion between lust and love.
Parker closes out the EP with an assist from his Minneapolis brethren Slug (of Atmosphere) as the two trade tributes to their hometown, a fitting end to an album that’s far more deep — yet still fun and lively — than most rap on the radio these days.
