Ken Carson's most recent album, A Great Chaos, is streaming on all platforms. To see the Chaos tour full lineup of shows go to www.kencarson.xyz/tour.
Whether it's Fall Out Boy and guyliner or Lana Del Rey and flower crowns, there are artists that define an adolescent generation through more than just music, they contribute to entire subcultures.
Maisie Fitzmaurice
24-year-old rapper, Ken Carson, could very well write his name in this category as his sound and image embody a new wave of hip hop sometimes referred to as “rage” or “Soundcloud rap.”
This subgenre is characterized by angsty sound and lyricism on top of vehement bass booms, and brings fashion typical of hardcore and grunge - shredded jeans, black painted nails, chains and spiky accesories - to hip hop. As it is a new-wave genre, there are also heavy influences of electronics and vaporwave intermingled.
Artists such as Run DMC and Beastie Boys have previously mixed punk rock’s in-your-face sound with rap and hip hop, and naturally, this pop-rock rap subgenre has grown and evolved, made evident by artists including Carson who trade flirty charm for dominance, with his fervent rapping and bold presence.
Before Carson took the stage at his KEMBA Live show in Columbus, the collective anticipation and eagerness was bursting at the seams. The crowd, a majority of attendees being young men, displayed a sea of baggy ripped jeans held up by designer belts, metal chains and hand-cut distressed t-shirts that could have easily been seen at a Nirvana or The Clash show in the late 80s. A pit of sweaty moshers on the lawn drew further parallels to a rock show.
Carson emerged through a heavy fog wearing tight-fit black leather pants with built-in knee pads, a tour tee and a black beanie. He climbed atop a stripped-down metal platform that lent well to his industrial look and sound.
With this vibe, it makes sense that he is signed to Playboi Carti’s label, OPIUM, as Carti is also known for his irreverent persona that captures the attention of rebellious teenagers.
Like famed rappers Travis Scott and Lil Uzi Vert, Carson uses auto-tune as a style preference. Each and every song made the crowd go wild, which made the name of Carson’s tour, Chaos, which refers to his most recent album, A Great Chaos, fitting.
Just as a song ended and the concert-goer's feet touched the ground after repetitively jumping to the beat, another booming hit would start and the crowd immediately went back to resembling an intense party.
While this genre is veiled in aggression, there was no bad attitudes or malice visible within the crowd. It was a fun, amped-up energy that could be felt throughout the whole venue. If you’re looking for a concert with an overflow of restless, excited energy this will certainly satisfy your needs.
For many outside the younger generation, this often harsh sound and dark fashion displayed by Carson and others in this subgenre is hard to understand. And yet, these are the same adults who may recall moshing at a Limp Bizkit concert in their youth, to the chagrin of their own parents.
The truth is it isn’t all about the sound. This kind of music allows adolescents, especially young men, to release their repressed aggression in an adrenaline-pumping environment where they’re joined and supported by their peers.
Where artists such as Mac Miller made room for depression in male-identifying people, artists like Ken Carson offer a space for hidden emotions including anger and acrimony, which are equally as valid as depression and anxiety, and important to acknowledge.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
