Mr. MFN eXquire’s Kismet Is More Than Meets The Eye

I have a very strange relationship with Mr. MFN eXquire’s (formerly the longer, and less-printable Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire) music. On the one hand, I really like his sound and style. On the other hand, his not-safe-for-work nor politically correct name helped me to lose a job last year (I don’t want to get into it right now, I still hate him for it, even though he wasn’t there and I should have been paying attention). It was at that time that I swore to myself that I would never ever ever EVER listen to his “crap” music again, and he could go screw himself for all I cared. So of course when I heard about Kismet, I was not excited at all, but then I thought, “Dude, it’s been a year, you’ve had other jobs, you didn’t even like that place, why so defensive?” After a couple of minutes of rationalizing and disciplining myself, I decided I’ll give it a try, just a little one, maybe for the first couple of songs.

I initially heard the news of Kismet the day before it was released, and hadn’t looked at the album art or the tracklist. Once I was done downloading, extracting and dragging it into my iTunes library, I got my first glimpse of the art.

My initial thought was, “Wow, shouldn’t have expected anything more from a dude with an expletive in his name.” And then, “Also my brother might need to start working out son. He looks like he is struggling to keep her up.” After twenty plus years of being told not to trust a book (or album) by its cover, I did just that. And I assume you know what happens when you assume something… Right?

The album art and his name really does fit the persona and atmosphere that eXquire creates on this mixtape, a mixtape I should definitely start out by saying will be for everyone. For lack of a better word, it is very weird. In fact, on the track “Noble Drew Ali,” eXquire describes himself as an “avant-garde hood nigga,” which really comes across through his beat selection and flows he chooses on various songs. While he is heavily influenced by the New York boom bap sound with an influx of the South, eXquire still finds a way to incorporate other influences, most prominently Jimi Hendrix and some Electronic music.

eXquire’s unique sound and personality makes him very interesting storyteller, which kept me coming back to hear more. He is, at times, a street dude, while at others more like a philosopher, at other points he is a Black Power / gender activist. There were moments when eXquire appeared explicitly contradictory, for instance, going from talking about his love and respect for a woman (“Vanilla Rainbows”) then going back to rapping about “bitches” (“Illest Niggaz Breathin’).

I actually really enjoyed this aspect of the music. It felt like he was really being himself throughout, and being a complicated person, contradictions can arise. I prefer an artist who is complex, as it provides something to seek out and find. Mr. MFN eXquire’s new mixtape was one of the more recent projects where I felt like I learned a lot about the artist after hearing it the first time, but there was more to find out.

Mr. MFN eXquire has the potential to be an artist who will be remembered for some time. It is clear that he has the passion for it, a term he uses often, (and even etymologically defines it at the beginning of “Vanilla Rainbows”). His mastery of his own flow and groove is insane, as he easily goes from doubletime rapping to slowing it down to normal speed, then switching off to weed-induced lazy speeds. “Paper Hearts” really showcases his ability as an MC, and had me coming back to it again and again. Its a shame that it comes so late on the mixtape, but it is my favorite track.

“The Cauldron” and “Noble Drew Ali” are also two really standout tracks. Both showcase how he normally sounds, but also his impressive wordplay. His lyrical ability cannot be overlooked. Its hard to just isolate a lyric or a bar from him that is dope by itself, but is noticeable when you hear what he is attempting to do as a whole. Check out “Never Running Again,” where he uses the metaphor of running to describe his mission and life.

The production is an extension of his avant-garde and unique style. One thing that I couldn’t say after finishing Kismet, was that it sounded like another album or mixtape I have heard. The producers deserve a lot of the credit for the success or failures on this mixtape. Somehow they all were able to contribute their selective sounds yet maintain the cohesiveness of the album. “I Was Drunk When I Wrote This,” produced by Star King, has one of the more interesting beats on the album. It sounds like dark electronic music, with really weird sounds inserted throughout, reminiscent of a race car or flying bees. Its really cool. “Vanilla Rainbows” uses a sample of Curtis Mayfield, and it is slightly off putting during the first listen, when eXquire raps off beat. Yet, after a while it grew on me, like a lot of the songs on this mixtape.

Kismet has made me hate myself. I was supposed to hate Mr. MFN eXquire, and now I find myself seeking out more of his music like an addict. He is one of the more unique figures in the game, and I can’t wait to see what he attempts to do next.

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD: Mr. MFN eXquire – Kismet

This article reprinted with permission from NativeJimi’s blog, sonsofthenative.wordpress.com