R-Mean’s Street Album - The Risin Son - Voice of the Next Generation (Fall 2008)

GK

You can sense it from his eyes. You can hear it in his voice. You can feel it in his confidence. But mostly, You Can See It in His Swagger

It is not a tangible object to be acquired. You either have it or you don’t. And when this artist enters a room, he clearly possesses it. Talented, but humble; funny, yet serious, R dash Mean puts out a street album that is both smooth and powerful in its deliverance. The album is slated to be released in February 21.

The Risin Son- produced by Blind and Humbl Sohl of Pentagon Records- is already gaining publicity with tracks such as “Your Nightmare Begun.” The song, reminiscent of an energizing Rocky anthem, was written for boxer Vanes Martirosyan to be used as entrance music for his matches: “I just want the world to hear me/ Knowing that they hear me come/ But I know the world will fear me/ Knowing that I fear no-one.” The lyrics refer to the boxer, but match the growth in the rapper’s music as well as his attitude.

Another single, “How U Want It” shows a sexy side of R-Mean, adding diversity to his range as an artist. Being the lyricist he is known for, R-Mean chose a name for his album with special meaning behind it. The Rising Son, spelling out the word “son” instead of “sun”, as the expression goes, names him an ascending artist of the next generation. It is also a reference to “the rise of new hip-hop,” he explained.

So what is different about R-Mean’s new album?

“With the first album I was concerned about being the illest lyricist,” R-mean said. This time around, however, he is dropping hits that people can enjoy dancing and letting loose to.

The rapper’s writing process is inspired by life and the random thoughts he writes down wherever he goes. He uses personal struggles that inspire songs about life.

Like many artists, he faces a love/hate relationship with the public as his accomplishments earn positive as well as negative feedback. He is one of the few artists that is able to successfully utilize this sort of relationship to enhance his music. The single “See It in His Swagger,” comes off very confident in the face of critics: “He a boss/ You can see it in his swagger/ How he walk how he talk/ You can see it in his swagger.”

It is hard enough to make it on the Armenian scene, but breaking into the industry beyond the Armenian community is a difficult feat, regardless of talent. Thus, the label ‘Armenian Rapper’ can be a double-edged sword for artists. Though R-Mean is not particularly a fan of the label, he recognizes the fame achieved among his Armenian peers as such.

In fact, the artist’s success among Armenians all over the globe has prompted him to plan a summer tour to Europe and has even been asked to rap in Dutch in Holland, where he used to live.

R-Mean made his way to the top of the Armenian entertainment industry with his 2005 release album Broken Water featuring the single “Open Wounds.”

With his drive and talent, it would not be surprising to see R-Mean reaching beyond his Armenian community to achieve new heights in the industry.