Gnosis pronounced “Know-Sis” is Greek for knowledge. Linguistically the 2, Gnosis & Knowledge, even run off the mouth the same way Peking and Beijing do. Years after Christianity jumped off, several groups had their own ideas of divine sparks and ascensions that were contrary. These guys were called the Gnostics. They were mostly killed and their ideals survived solely through the condemning literature of their “righteous” critics.
I bring them up in relevance to Hip Hop and this beat I’m presenting today because the concept of the Hip Hop religion has emerged recently via Kanye West. There is a popular and dominant sect that Cats like Drake, Young Jeezy, Weezy, Yeezy, Rozay, Jay-Hova, and Minaj are part of. Interestingly enough, Nikki has two songs with ROMAN in their titles, seeing as how the Vatican is the premier Christian establishment on planet Earth. And it’s funny how “don’t hate ” kind of means don’t throw it to the LIONS, a common Roman practice done to Christians before the Romans adapted the Christian faith themselves.
Ok so now that you have this extremely casual historical overview and analogy, you are in the “Gno”. Today’s beat is a pretty dark and experimental number with an aesthetic I thought would eventually re- emerge after Kanye West released the song “Dark Fantasy”. But no the Gnostics will not be celebrated. Hip Hop’s sub genre’s that produced masterful arts like that of Aesop Rock (Skelethon), Atom’s Family, Sonic Sum, Lodeck, etc, seem like *Apocryphal literature. Would anyone openly accept a new rapper named Busty Rhimes? Not pooping on the Asap Rocky parade, I just doubt he was even exposed to the Long Island native’s “Labor Days” because it’s such an inaccessible commodity to the uninquiring public. But I think the “Gnostics” are endeavoring a comeback with El P’s 2 recent releases. In these harsh economic times will the general public ultimately choose the artistic substance over the flashiness because of the lack of relevance in the flashiness? Probably not.
Week after week, Ben Boogz and I, Deep, produce 10 minute beats to share with fans. This week I felt I went to a pretty dark corner as I usually do when my turn comes. I am not seeking to make my Gnostic sect aka style of Rap, the Roman Catholic norm. I just don’t want it eradicated from history so there’s always room for “Hypnotical Gasses”and Organized Konfusion for the youth that listens to Rap so they can “Crush Kill Destroy” their own unique kind of “Stress”.
Please enjoy- IN THE GNOSIS Http://2hungrybros.bandcamp.com
*Apocryphal means hidden like the Dead Sea Scrolls and you have to be like Indiana Jones to find them
