Noted for his confrontational style and wicked wit, Nocando has recently had a chance of heart.
Penning an article for LA Weekly, the MC decided to turn his back on battle rap. Much discussed, the rapper admits at one point: "I’m ashamed of the times when, either to win or because I was exhausted of ideas, I decided I needed to be homophobic, use fat jokes or launch absurd, hypothetical threats about what I might do to someone."
Deciding to focus on something fresh, something new, Nocando hooked up with Stones Throw heavyweight Dam-Funk. 'Lucid Dream' is the result, a down-low piece of electronic funk with plenty of space for the rapper to do his thing.
Clash writer Grant Brydon spoke to Nocando recently, and – with a full feature forthcoming – he had this to say about the making of 'Lucid Dream'. "It reminded me of something that my dad would like back in the day" he says. "My dad passed away when I was younger so I guess I was still super-appreciative that I got to hang out with him for one year of my life – because I didn't really see him much after him and my mom divorced. So I took to that beat because it reminded me of my pops."
"On (albums) I've put out before I don't think I could have ever done that shit, I was trying to be so punchliney, so technically sound and cool, that I'd never have made a song that my father would have liked. My mother loves this song. I've been making music for ten years and that's the first time I put on a song and she was like 'Hey, this is tight.' That shit felt good to me. That's more important than any fucking accolade that I've ever gotten from anyone."
Watch it now.
Check back tomorrow for a full feature with Nocando.
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