Offie Mag

On a Very Good Friday at The Cause, after James Massiah finished his set in the Offie Mag-hosted gallery, I asked the poet, rapper and DJ what song he’d play to save the earth from a Martian death ray. He said ‘Mystery Of Love’ by Mr. Fingers.

Love might be a mystery to some; the artistic world of Dean Blunt is a mystery to others.

Babyfather release icl.

Blunt’s project with Massiah brings the two together to experiment with the sonics of rap and hip-hop. A scatter of sporadic releases over the last decade has always left listeners wanting more. This is the first extended cut (four tracks, just under seven minutes) since 2017’s Cypher, continuing the experimental sound that’s become synonymous with both Babyfather and Blunt as a whole.

2024’s ‘bluey vuitton’ saw production credits from Surf Gang’s evilgiane, and icl brings in previous collaborator Vegyn alongside underground production mainstay Wraith9. ‘Pop’ and ‘slumpz’, produced by the latter, feel like a snapshot of where rap is heading right now. Making the same two bars loop endlessly and still feel engaging is a skill in itself. On ‘Pop’, the 808 does most of the melodic work, while ‘slumpz’ adds a little more texture, somewhere in the orbit of Clams Casino, just rougher around the edges.

‘bono talk’ and the title track ‘icl’, both produced by Vegyn, lean more traditional in structure. It takes a moment to separate them on first listen, but that blur feels intentional. The standout is Tyson’s appearance on ‘icl’, where an alternative voice briefly anchors the track into something more familiar.

The chemistry between Blunt, Massiah, Escrow, Gassman or whoever they claim is involved, is what really makes this work. This isn’t music for the run-of-the-mill rap fan. There are no obvious hooks, no overused clichés placed to pull you back in. The vocals are raw, the mixes are rough, and in an era of overproduction, that’s exactly the point.

What makes Babyfather compelling is that you have to meet it halfway. You have to try to understand it to enjoy it. It isn’t made to please you or to confirm what you think good music should sound like. It can be challenging, but maybe that’s what the best art is.

Words by Louis Rowland