Posted by Blackland Radio catapulted SpaceGhostPurrp to cult status overnight. Co-signs from Odd Future and features in LA Weekly caused SGP’s star to rise to astronomical heights. The underground world was patiently waiting on his next move. Patiently waiting for his next revolution. In the post-Blackland world Purrp would use his newfound fame to attain new connections in the rap game. He would also continue to cultivate his connection with his day ones, Speak! And Kreayshawn. After Blackland he would go on to pioneer a new movement, join forces with another upstart collective and he would expand his Raider Klan mafia. SpaceGhostPurrp would also undergo a personal metamorphosis in the months following the release of Blackland Radio 66.6. The Blackland Supernova shook the music world. Purrp would continue his fluid progression as an artist and as a human being. SGP founded the Trillwave movement with Speak! , moved to New York to clique up with the A$AP MOB and he would manifest his personal progression by becoming the ‘God of Black’. He changed the world with Blackland. In the months that followed the Blackland Supernova, Purrp ensured that he continued to revolutionise the rap game.
THE TRILLWAVE BEGINS
SpaceGhostPurrp’s first release after Blackland came on June 15 2011. This release was a single titled ‘My Enemie’. ‘My Enemie’ is another menacing track which embodies Purrp’s 90’s revival. This single release signifies the start of the Trillwave movement. The Trillwave movement was founded by SGP and Speak!. Trillwave was not a group in the ilk of the Raider Klan but more of an all-encapsulating term to describe the music coming from SGP, Speak! And their affiliates. During the Trillwave movement, Purrp would collaborate with Speak! On several tracks. He also announced his plans for the release of five brand new mixtapes. Arguably the biggest coup of the Trillwave movement was Purrp’s appearances on Juicy J’s legendary Blue Dream and Lean mixtape. After the Blackland Supernova, he would keep his momentum rolling by founding the Trillwave movement with Speak!
Whilst pushing the Trillwave agenda, SGP and Speak! Linked to collaborate on several songs. These songs were: Way Back, Leisure Life, Like That and Bang which featured KGB. On these tracks these two display their Trillwave chemistry over various soundscapes. This series of collaborations are a must listen for any SGP fan. The collaborative efforts between Speak! And Purrp showed the underground community that the Trillwave movement was all about unity. Perhaps the rarest collaboration to occur during this era was the collaboration between SGP, Speak! And Juicy J. This trio would exchange verses on the track ‘Deez Bitches Rollin’. ‘Deez Bitches Rollin’ would feature on the legendary Blue Dream and Lean tape and it would receive the music video treatment as well.
“…the Trillwave movement was solely about pushing forward the underground wave.”
SGP would feature on Blue Dream and Lean three times. He featured on the aforementioned ‘Deez Bitches Rollin’ with Speak!, ‘Real Hustlers Don’t Sleep’ with A$AP Rocky and he produced the track ‘20 Zig Zags’. Being a prominent collaborator on Juicy J’s Blue Dream and Lean was another hallmark moment for SGP’s career. He was blessed with the opportunity to collaborate with one of his biggest inspirations. His work on Blue Dream and Lean also exposed Purrp to a whole new wave of listeners. Through the art of collaboration, Speak! And SGP were able to bring their Trillwave movement to the forefront of the underground. Their connection with Juicy J also furthered the Trillwave. The Blackland Supernova catapulted SGP into stardom. The Trillwave movement ensured he kept his momentum rolling.
During the Trillwave movement SpaceGhostPurrp announced he was working on five different mixtapes. These mixtapes were: Blvck Mvrdxc, Trilluminati, Summa Phonk Vol. 1, Mind of Purrp and Son of Eye (in collaboration with clothing brand MISHKA). In preparation for the release of these tapes Purrp dropped a plethora of tracks which have since become ‘loose ends’. Songs such as: ‘My Enemie’, ‘Soul’, ‘Phoolish’, ‘The Truth’, ‘Lyk Ah Diamond’ and ‘Keep Bringing The Phonk’ were intended for these various tapes. These songs, which were released during the Trillwave era, are some of SGP’s most outstanding loose tracks. If these five mixtapes released as planned, Purrp would have taken over the whole rap world. SGP was preparing to release 6 classics in a calendar year (these five proposed tapes + Blackland). However SGP would have a change of heart. In August 2011 he moved to New York to clique up with A$AP Rocky and the A$AP Mob. This move brought a change in the creative direction of Purrp. He would scrap these five mixtapes and instead focus on collaborating with various members of the A$AP Mob. In September, Purrp would bring his ‘God of Black’ aesthetic to the forefront. The Trillwave was still in effect. It just took a backseat to the dynamism of the A$AP Raiders.
In conclusion, the Trillwave movement was solely about pushing forward the underground wave. Through the art of collaboration Purrp and Speak! Were able to sustain and expand upon the momentum in their respective careers. Although the Trillwave movement did not become the force it initially promised to be, A$AP and the Raider Klan carried the Trillwave ethos throughout their early rise to fame. The Trillwave should be viewed as the movement that kept the underground wave strong during 2011. It may not be the most well known chapter in underground history but it kept things moving in the music world. It should be remembered as a movement that unified the underground during its formative years.
THE A$AP RAIDERS TAKEOVER
As previously mentioned, SpaceGhostPurrp moved to New York in August of 2011. This move occurred so Purrp could link up, live and collaborate with the A$AP Mob. The A$AP Mob at the time consisted of: A$AP Rocky, A$AP Bari, A$AP Yams, A$AP Ant, A$AP Nast, A$AP Ty Beats, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Twelvy, A$AP Illz and A$AP Dom (Dominic Lord). The A$AP Mob took Purrp in as one of their own and thus the A$AP Raiders were born. This movement only lasted a matter of months. This short tenure aside, it was a movement that changed the landscape of the music world forever. The impact of the A$AP Raiders is still felt ‘till this very day.
“The now defunct A$AP Raiders are the Penny Hardaway of rap. They teased us with the potential, gave us glimpses of their transcendent greatness only for it to end in turmoil”
Whilst in New York, SpaceGhostPurrp expanded his profile significantly. Through a series of collaborations, freestyles and live performances the A$AP Raiders created an undeniable wave. Purrp was the X-Factor that brought this wave to fruition. Some of the most iconic moments in underground history spawned from the A$AP Raiders movement. In terms of collaborative efforts, SGP produced or featured on the following songs: ‘Dope Sample’ (Produced by SGP, Performed by A$AP Twelvy), ‘Blvck Tape 1996’ (Produced by SGP, Performed by A$AP Ant and SGP), ‘VZVP RVIDERS’ (Produced by SGP, Performed by A$AP Nast, A$AP Ant, A$AP Dom and SGP), ‘Purple Swag Chapter 2’ (Produced by A$AP Ty Beats, Performed by A$AP Rocky, SGP and A$AP Nast), ‘Keep it G’ (Produced by SGP, Performed by A$AP Rocky and SGP) and ‘Pretty Flacko’ (Produced by SGP, Performed by A$AP Rocky). The plethora of collaborations between SGP and the A$AP Mob were extremely stellar. It helped establish the A$AP Raiders wave. However the A$AP Raiders movement was bigger than music. It was a culture shock. The collaborations were just one aspect of the A$AP Raiders movement. Many factors fused together to create the A$AP Raiders tsunami.
The several live performances from the A$AP Raiders contributed to their game changing wave. Rocky, Purrp and the Mob performed at various festivals/venues such as: CMJ, The Creators Project, Santos Party House and Community 54. The myriad of live performances exemplifies the burgeoning energy of Purrp and his A$AP family. This youthful exuberance coupled with the all-black anarchist swag displayed the aesthetic which changed the world. These shows were instrumental in spreading the A$AP Raider movement. These shows gave Purrp, Rocky and the Mob the opportunity to purvey their aesthetic to large audiences across New York. It also gave them the chance to spread their infectious energy around New York City. If you want to witness the game-changing performances, various clips from these shows exist on YouTube and Vimeo. The myriad of live performances gave SGP and the A$AP Mob a chance to display their unique sound and energy to audiences all across New York. It gave them the chance to physically manifest their wave. The combination of SGP’s mystique and the get-fly recklessness of the A$AP Mob created a perfect storm. These shows illustrate how the A$AP Raiders influenced a whole generation of artists.
The A$AP x Raider Klan Stash House Freestyles furthered the wave of the A$AP Raiders. This series of freestyle videos featured Purrp and his A$AP cohorts vibin’ and spittin’ in the depths of the ‘Stash House’, the apartment in which the A$AP Mob stayed at during this era. The A$AP Raiders were kickin’ it like it was the 90’s all over again. The live performances illustrated the burgeoning energy of the movement. These freestyle videos doubled down on purveying the energy of the A$AP Raiders movement. Odd Future helped build their hype by documenting the various wild indiscretions that they would undertake. The A$AP Raiders used the video medium in a similar way to build their hype. Instead of documenting their wild indiscretions, the A$AP Raiders documented a series of freestyles to cement their vibe in the heads of all underground fans. The ‘Stash House’ freestyle series captures the A$AP Raiders movement at its apex. This series can be characterised as being nothing short of legendary. The ‘Stash House’ freestyle series will forever live on in infamy. The A$AP Worldwide x Raider Klan Stash House freestyles encapsulates the spirit of the A$AP Raiders movement. A movement which shaped the next generation of artists.
Personally, Purrp was going through his own progression. Coinciding with his move to New York, SGP decided to scrap the five mixtapes he had planned to release in 2011. Instead he chose to completely switch his artistic direction. SpaceGhostPurrp transformed into the ‘Black God’ for the ‘God of Black’ era. During the A$AP Raiders era Purrp released two singles to help build momentum for the ‘God Of Black EP’. These singles were: ‘Blvck Lvzt’ and ‘Blvck On Blvck 1995’. These songs illustrate a minor progression from his Blackland Radio mixtape. The true ‘God of Black’ vision would come to life during his return to Miami.
Why exactly did Purrp leave for Miami? After the release of Live.Love.A$AP the A$AP Raider movement was primed to takeover. SGP’s two guest appearances on the tape furthered his profile. It seemed the ‘God of Black’ was next in line to reign supreme. Things didn’t turn out as planned for the A$AP Raiders. Numerous factors led to the demise of the short yet impactful movement.
Several factors, both major and minor led to the demise of the A$AP Raiders. The first factor were accusations of A$AP stealing SGP’s style. Initially these murmurs of A$AP biting SGP’s style came from various affiliates of Purrp. It is almost undeniable that SGP brought the all black, gold grillin, southern and 90’s swag to the A$AP Mob. These elements had been staples of SGP’s aesthetic since 2010. Whereas, as evidenced by the ‘Get High’ music video the A$AP Mob were still caught under the Max B wave in 2010. Purrp’s influence upon the A$AP Mob and their music is undeniable. This exertion of influence is something which occurs in most collaborative movements. The same case for style stealing could be made for some Raider Klan members during late 2011/2012. The A$AP Mob did repurpose SGP’s visions. But it seemed that during the A$AP Raiders era their relationship was rather recipricous. These murmurs of style-stealing quickly became a deafening shriek. Accusations of style-stealing became commonplace after the fallout between A$AP and SpaceGhostPurrp. Style-stealing became the main narrative for the beef between the A$AP Mob and SpaceGhostPurrp. But it was an incident at one of their legendary live shows that caused the crux of the initial fallout between the two parties.
“What’s up with you and Purrp? I ain’t into all of that gossip. He brought the funk into my crew“
A$AP FERG – PERFUME (2014)
On October 24, 2011, A$AP Rocky, Purrp and the Mob performed at FADER Fort as a part of the CMJ festival in New York. Allegedly, Purrp and the Mob assaulted someone who was working the sound board at the event. The A$AP Mob were on stage and allegedly damaging equipment and daring the sound engineer to stop them. This escalated to an altercation between the A$AP Mob and the sound engineer who was allegedly struck in the head with a microphone. This assault led to the engineer requiring 10 stitches to his laceration. On the surface level, this incident seems harmless to a friendship which had grown bigger than music. Nonetheless, the victim decided to press charges on all members who were present at the FADER Fort that evening. In the wake of this incident Purrp had left New York and headed to Miami on November 24. SGP claimed he had to return home to look after his Mother. Members of the A$AP Mob believed Purrp was dodging the court appearance that awaited him as a result of the FADER Fort incident. It seemed this fallout was going to remain just that. A minor fallout. A$AP Rocky sent shots at the Raider Klan on the remix to David Banner’s track ‘Yao Ming’. But the two parties would exchange pleasantries on twitter after this FADER Fort incident. A$AP would storm the stage at an SGP show in New York in January 2012. Purrp was also featured on A$AP Rocky’s Pitchfork Selector freestyle which was released in January 2012. The relationship between the two parties seemed to be on the mend. Despite these attempts to mend the relationship between the Raider Klan and the A$AP Mob their differences had escalated into an all out war by the middle of 2012.
On October 14 2011, A$AP Rocky inked a $3,000,000 deal with RCA, a subsidiary of Sony. There has long been speculation that Rocky wanted to sign SGP and the Raider Klan under the newly established A$AP Worldwide imprint. Essentially envisioning a Rocafella/Dipset type takeover. Whether or not Purrp committed to this, he eventually reneged from a contractual situation with A$AP Worldwide. The accusations of style stealing from Purrp’s affiliates, the forthcoming FADER Fort incident and the looming label situation most of caused immense stress on the camaraderie between Rocky and SpaceGhostPurrp. The label deal and SGP’s role in negotiations remain pure speculation. It could be another factor which contributed to the initial fallout between A$AP Rocky and SpaceGhostPurrp.
In closing, the demise of the A$AP Raiders can be attributed to a multitude of factors. Claims of style stealing, the FADER Fort incident and the label situation created a recipe which eventually divided Purrp from the A$AP Mob. Combine these factors with the inherent pride and rash decision making that comes with being a young adult. You have the ingredients necessary to cultivate disaster. Countless efforts were made to fix the relationship between the A$AP Mob and SGP. Sadly, the relationship was never restored to the peak of its heyday and as a result the A$AP Raiders movement came to an end. Relations between the two parties entered a state of disrepair in June 2012. A$AP Twelvy and Raider Klan’s Matt Stoops were allegedly involved in an altercation. This caused Purrp to self destruct on twitter and declare war on the A$AP Mob. The battle lines were now drawn.
The beef between the A$AP Mob and the Raider Klan split the mainstream and underground indefinitely. The impact of this beef still resonates in 2019. Together the A$AP Raiders were revolutionising the music world. When split apart, the A$AP Mob and the Raider Klan would leave their own imprints on the rap world. Fans will forever be left wondering ‘what-if?’ when it comes the A$AP Raiders movement. Together they could have taken the world by storm. Alas, the A$AP Raiders, despite its short tenure, should be considered as a movement that established the visions for the next generation of rap.
When you analyse the dynamic of the A$AP Raiders movement and furthermore the relationship between A$AP Rocky and SpaceGhostPurrp it becomes apparent we were robbed of potentially one of the greatest combos of the 2010’s. A$AP Rocky often referred to SGP as his twin. Demonstrating the kin-like bond between these two. ‘TWIN’ was also the name of their duo: ‘Two Wild Ignorant N*ggaz’. SGP and Rocky were slated to release a collaborative project entitled ‘Black Man’s Wealth’ aka ‘BMW’. Rocky and Purrp had teased fans with their dynamic chemistry on ‘Keep it G’ and a collaborative project between the two is something that rap fans have wished for ever since the two artists linked up. As mentioned before, the A$AP Raiders movement is one of the rap world’s great ‘what-ifs?’. The potential collaborations and projects that the Raider Klan and the A$AP Mob could have pieced together during this era is something rap fans still reflect on until this day. The now defunct A$AP Raiders are the Penny Hardaway of rap. They teased us with the potential, gave us glimpses of their transcendent greatness only for it to end in turmoil. The A$AP Raiders represent a potential that was deeper than music. They set the standard for all future rap collectives.
Luckily for fans of the A$AP Raiders era, a breadth of content still exists on the internet. The ‘Stash House’ freestyles, various interviews and the live performances allow fans to experience the movement all over again. The rarest content from the A$AP Raiders era is a podcast which features both A$AP Rocky and SpaceGhostpurrp. Resurrected by the YouTube channel SpaceeGhostPurrpMJ23, the podcast shows us the kinship that existed between Rocky and Purrp. We can relive the ‘what-ifs?’ of the A$AP Raiders movement thanks to the amount of documentation present on the internet.
THE RETURN OF THE BLACK GOD
SpaceGhostPurrp returned to Miami in late November 2011. Despite the turbulent end to his tenure in New York, SGP descended upon Miami as a man on a mission, He quickly bolstered the Raider Klan roster by adding local Miami artists such as: Denzel Curry, Nell, Rell, Lil Champ FWAY and Metro Zu (Lofty305, Ruben Slikk, Mike Dece, Poshstronaut and Freebase). After re-establishing himself in Miami, Purrp had crafted perhaps the most iconic version of the Raider Klan roster. He combined these new Miami artists with artists across the United States. The non-Miami artists included the likes of: Ethel Wulf (Xavier Wulf), Chris Travis, Key Nyata, Amber London, Slim Guerilla and Eddy Baker. SpaceGhost had established his Raider wave several months prior with Blackland Radio 66.6. His return to Miami allowed him to re-focus and revolutionise the Raider vision.
“The ‘God of Black EP’ was SGP’s vehicle to empower the underground world, regardless of their vibe. It was also SGP’s vehicle to introduce people to the new and improved Raider Klan.”
During the A$AP Raiders era, Purrp altered his artistic direction. He abandoned his original plans to drop five mixtapes concurrently. Instead, he adopted the God of Black aesthetic. He released a duo of singles during his time in New York that showed a minor progression from Blackland. The return to Miami seemingly refuelled Purrp and soon he would manifest the ‘God of Black’ aesthetic. The enlightenment and empowerment of SpaceGhostPurrp was about to occur.
Prior to the release of the ‘God of Black EP’, SGP released several singles to build hype for the release. These singles were: ‘Blvck on Blvck 1995’, ‘Blvck Lvzt’, ‘Mystikal Maze’, ‘Dark to Light’, ‘SAND 2012’, ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ and ‘The Black God’. Of these 8 singles only four would make the final version of the tape. ‘Dark to Light’ was one of the singles that got cut from the ‘God of Black EP’. Irregardless of its exclusion from the tape, ‘Dark to Light’ embodies SGP’s progression from the Blackland era. ‘Dark to Light’ is a five minute track that’s part spoken word and part rap. The sparse, empty beat sets the tone for the knowledge SGP is about to kick. This track is essentially an apology from Purrp. An apology for the devilish content on Blackland. He also explains the context behind some of the legendary songs on Blackland Radio. “This is who I really am, this is SpaceGhost mother fuckin’ Purrp, the God of Black. I’m no longer blinded by Satan.” is what Purrp declares at the end of his spoken word spiel. ‘Dark to Light’ is the manifestation of Purrp escaping from darkness and embracing enlightenment. Although ‘Dark to Light’ did not feature on the ‘God of Black EP’, it is the song which best exemplifies the ethos of the God of Black era.
After several months of promotion, SpaceGhostPurrp released the ‘God of Black EP’ on February 2, 2012. The 11 track EP features songs from the mystical Purrp and his new Raider Klan allies. Purrp kicks off the tape with Raider Klan’s first lady, Amber London and her track ‘Low MF Key’. ‘Low MF Key’ is a true down south banger. Amber London uses Doc Million’s ‘Big Baller’ instrumental to bring that 90’s Texas swag back to life. The phonky beat resonates as Amber London flows calmly and effortlessly about her lowkey philosophy. This song could have fit perfectly on any No-Limit Records release from the 90’s. With ‘Low MF Key’, Purrp starts off the ‘God of Black EP’ by shining a light on the first lady of the Raider Klan. The phonk is now in session.
SpaceGhostPurrp decrees himself as the Black God for the next track off of the EP. ‘The Black God’ is one of SGP’s more well known songs. A definitive song from the ‘God of Black’ era. Production wise, SGP creates a beat that only the dark angel could conjure up. Booming bass interpolates with haunting keys whilst sudden horns bring the lucid loop to a close. This haunting and impactful soundscape allows Purrp to spit his self-empowerment anthem. ‘The Black God’ sees Purrp apply his new found enlightenment directly to his music. He raps about his common anti-establishment themes by exposing hypebeasts: “…As I try to expose the robotic hypebeast up in the same clothes.” but it becomes apparent that SGP has ascended to a new level. His delivery was less anarchistic and more measured. The youthful angst present in Blackland was swapped for a more calculated approach. Couple this new calculated approach with the cleaner more tactful sonics of the Black God instrumental and you are presented with an ascended version of SGP. Despite this ascension, ‘The Black God’ is still raw underground music. With ‘The Black God’ and furthermore the ‘God of Black EP’ SGP switched from being the underground’s lead anarchist into being the underground’s leading light.
‘The Black God’ as a single release was vastly ahead of its time. The theme of being your own God was commonplace in the works of golden-age rappers. The five percenter knowledge of self was constantly proliferated through the works of Nas and the Wu Tang Clan. With ‘The Black God’ Purrp brought these principles back into the light. More than a year later, Kanye West would release a song entitled ‘I Am A God’. The songs are dissimilar in nature but the theme of self-empowerment are both focal points of the tracks. It is nearly impossible to ascertain whether Purrp was responsible for inspiring Kanye West to create ‘I Am A God’. One thing that can be drawn from this situation is that SGP was ahead of his time with ‘The Black God’. Always ahead of the curve, this further illustrates SGP’s proficiency as a trendsetter.
Following the self-empowering anthem that is ‘The Black God’, Purrp gets us caught in ‘Mystikal Maze’. Sampling the ‘sounds of hell’, Purrp crafts one of his most harrowing sonic experiences. The sounds of hell intertwine with other mystical elements to formulate a lush haze for your speaker system. ‘Mystikal Maze’ is another standout song from the ‘God of Black EP’. On this track, SGP goes in-depth about the corruption of every day society. “I always try to smile but the world too fake,the world is a house with a yard full of snakes.”. He contrasts this disdain for society with lyrics that emanate his daily struggles. “I know how it feel to not have any loot, tired of the same clothes, tired of eating the soup.” As mentioned before, the God of Black EP gives us a more polished version of SGP. The anarchistic undertones are still present. But the angst of Blackland is replaced with a sense of empowerment. The ‘God of Black EP’ is a far cry from the usual tropes of motivation music. SGP instead meshes his enlightened philosophies and his personal struggles to create the empowerment present in ‘Mystikal Maze’. Add the otherworldly, hazy and lucid beat to this recipe and you are provided with a dose of darkness which accompanies the light of empowerment. The yin and yang of the ‘Black God’.
The lush haze of ‘Mystikal Maze’ left listeners in a drowsy loop. ‘Elevate’ and its frenetic nature arrives to shock listeners back into reality. This cut is the quintessential address to every hater out there. SGP implores us to rise above hate in a manner only he could. A unique quality of ‘Elevate’ and several other tracks off of the ‘God of Black EP’ are the use of vocal effects. Purrp has been layering his vocals in unique ways since NASA: The Mixtape. However the additional vocal effects were first introduced in the God of Black era. The vocal effects present on ‘Elevate’ almost sound like your subconscious. Or some sort of deity within the .mp3 file. These vocal effects and the vocal layering intertwines with SGP’s forceful verses to create an overwhelming experience for the listener. The pitched up or pitched down (sometimes both) vocals throughout the ‘God of Black EP’ lurk in the background similar to how the voice inside your head creeps up on you when you least expect it. The measured and purposeful use of vocal effects and vocal layering throughout the project illustrates the refinement Purrp underwent during this era. Elevate is another song which embodies the spirit of the God of Black era. A welcome reminder to rise above hate at all costs.
“With ‘The Black God’ and furthermore the ‘God of Black EP’ SGP switched from being the underground’s lead anarchist into being the underground’s leading light”
We are introduced to another Raider for track 5 of the ‘God of Black EP’. ‘Twistin’ is Denzel Curry’s contribution to the EP. On this track he is flanked by familiar Purrp disciple Lil Ugly Mane. Curry and Ugly Mane exchange devious verses over the gritty, string-fuelled Ugly Mane produced beat. This song is another underground classic. A teenage Denzel Curry spits nefariously with his own interpretation of the classic Memphis flow. Purrp’s 90’s revival continued, with his extended Raider family joining the crusade. The inclusion of his fellow Raider’s tracks on the ‘God of Black EP’ was yet another display of selflessness from SGP. He utilised his status as an underground star to help build the profile of his upstart Raiders. ‘Twistin’ shows listeners that the Raider Klan movement was in full effect. The Klan were ‘takin no shortz’ when it came to expanding their profile.
SpaceGhost restores the introspectivity to the ‘God of Black EP’ with the track ‘Raider Prayer’. Akin to ‘Elevate’, “Raider Prayer’ is another reminder to ditch the hate and be yourself regardless of what others may think. The repetitive hook re-establishes the Raider Klan ethos: “Fuck what they say, Imma do me”. The swirling, eerie and drowsy beat is similar to the hypnotising loop of ‘Mystikal Maze’. This track is another song which vividly describes his ambitions and visions: “No time for thuggin’, no time for hatin’, gettin’ straight to the money so fuck the procrastination”, “Fuck all the haters , they just motivatiors, mind on a mill [million] with mansions and elevators.” As shown in these excerpts, Raider Prayer may be one of Purrp’s most visceral lyrical efforts. He immerses the listener in the visions of the Raider lifestyle in a way which he had never attempted to in the past. The visceral lyrical effort and another amazing beat make ‘Raider Prayer’ the perfect track for those needing that extra empowerment to embrace being themselves.
Blackland birthed the phenomena that was ‘SAND 2011’. Every great track needs a sequel right? We get one with ‘SAND 2012’. Instead of producing a song that sounds similar to the initial bombshell that was ‘SAND 2011’, Purrp did the polar opposite. ‘SAND 2012’ ditched the chaotic nature of ‘SAND 2011’ and SGP produced a track that encapsulated the ‘God of Black’ sound perfectly. The slowed down, waved out elements of the beat are a stark contrast to the frenzy of ‘SAND 2011’. This track shows us that even an enlightened Purrp is a master in the art of lustful sonics and rhymes. The waved-out, debauchery-filled song is an ideal transition from the philosophy-fuelled, introspective tracks that precede ‘SAND 2012’. This cut is a welcome return to the lustful world which SGP specialises in. Purrp managed to craft an ideal sequel to ‘SAND 2011’ despite the obvious differences in both songs.
We continue to explore the lustful distractions when we switch to the next track. ‘Blvck Diamonds Pearls’ doubles down on the hazy lust that ‘SAND 2012’ initially produced. This track expounds upon the ‘wavy loops’ that are consistent throughout the ‘God of Black’ era.The simplistic instrument patterns let these ‘wavy loops’ shine bright throughout the track. The lustful nature of the track is embodied with Purrp’s lyrical effort on ‘Blvck Diamonds Pearls’. The 8th track on our journey through the ‘God of Black EP’ illustrates SGP’s innate ability at creating some of the darkest and debaucherous tracks of the modern era. The Miami bred artist continues to pay homage to his roots with these lustful anthems.
SpaceGhostPurrp provides a true banger for all his fans with track 9. ‘Don’t Give a Damn (Miami Bass)’ is what futuristic Miami Bass would sound like. Similar to ‘Friday’, SGP’s signature booming bass resonates throughout the song to create the necessary bang required. This bass combines with a cowbell sound to get the ‘black vamps’ out there wylin’. These elements combine with a sample of Criminal Mafia’s ‘BHZ’ to produce a beat that can be best described as a masterpiece. Purrp channels his inner Eazy E for the delivery on this track. The forceful delivery and the hard hitting beat makes ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ the standout banger from the ‘God of Black EP’. ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ became a staple of Purrp’s live performance routine. During a live performance of ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ SGP pays homage to Memphis culture with his own rendition of the G-Walk. Purrp’s G-Walk is an iconic dance in underground folklore. Following the enlightening start, it was only right for Purrp to provide his fans with an all-out banger. ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ fills that void admirably.
SGP continues to display his Raider Klan soldiers with the next cut. ‘Mink Rug’ follows ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ on the ‘God of Black EP’. ‘Mink Rug’ is a Metro Zu track which features a Purrp verse. The Freebase produced song samples Bobbi Humphery’s ‘Mestizo Eyes’. This track introduces listeners to the Metro Zu experience. Lofty305, Ruben Slikk and SGP all exchange based verses over the heavenly beat. Metro Zu was a group that pushed artistic boundaries not only in music but in many other forms as well. Their psychedelic and esoteric vibe is on display with ‘Mink Rug’. The collaboration with the ‘artsy’ Metro Zu shows us that Purrp can mesh with any crowd that creates boundary pushing art. Purrp can kick knowledge with the young righteous ones, he can exude cool with the fashion kids and he can get based with the art-rich martians. The ‘God of Black EP’ was SGP’s vehicle to empower the underground world, regardless of their vibe. It was also SGP’s vehicle to introduce people to the new and improved Raider Klan. ‘Mink Rug’, ‘Twistin’ and ‘Low MF Key’ showed the world that the Raider Klan were ready to blow. Under SGP’s guidance they would do just that.
The ‘God of Black EP’ concludes with the track ‘Money Power Respect (Free BG)’. ‘Money Power Respect’ takes the hazy, drowned out elements of the first few tracks of the EP and turns them up a notch. SGP swaps out the haze for a more defined sonic palette. SGP continues to illustrate his progression behind the mic on this track. ‘Money Power Respect’ and the ‘God of Black EP’ as whole shows SGP’s progression as a technical recording artist. His rapping on this EP is more thought out and purposeful. Aside from the progression in aesthetic and sonics, Purrp’s progression as an MC shines bright on the ‘God of Black EP’. The finale of the EP, ‘Money Power Respect’ embodies the progression Purrp has made from Blackland Radio 66.6 to the ‘God of Black EP’.
“In a matter of months Purrp had collated a roster of relative unknowns and turned them into the underground’s most prolific crew. Never before in rap history had a collective so vast been created.”
One of SpaceGhost’s less talked about tapes, the ‘God of Black EP’ can be seen as the moment SGP fully committed to the development of the Raider Klan movement. The inclusion of songs from Amber London, Denzel Curry and Metro Zu shows the emphasis SGP was placing on the Raider Klan during this era. ‘The God of Black EP’ is also notable for the artistic and personal progression of SpaceGhostPurrp. His progression from ‘angsty’, enraged evil genius into a calm, tactful, enlightened and empowered overlord is evident throughout the EP. This progression fuelled the Raider Klan revolution. On this project, the dark angel provides us with mystical and hazy empowerment anthems that have stood the test of time. Purrp returned to Miami as a messiah of the underground. The ‘God of Black EP’ helped entrench his status as the messiah.
In conclusion, the ‘God of Black EP’ is a pivotal one in the career of Purrp. Following his rather ambiguous departure from New York, the God of Black era helped re-assert his momentum in the music world. This era helped proliferate the Raider Klan movement. The God of Black era should be viewed as the era which laid the platform for the Raider Klan. The Blackland era was a supernova which changed the music world forever whereas the God of Black era was a solid building block that allowed his Raider movement to prosper. The Raider Klan revolution was ushered in by the God of Black.
In the post-God of Black era we bore witness to the rise of the Raider Klan. Buoyed by the newfound attention caused by the ‘God of Black EP’, the other Raider Klan members began to put in work of their own. During early-mid 2012 Klan members produced classics such as: Pizza & Codeine (Chris Travis), Wolfgang’s Rodolphe (Ethel Wulf), 1994 EP (Amber London), Two Phonkey (Key Nyata), Phonkilation (Key Nyata), Hell on Earth (Chris Travis) and Strictly 4 My Raiders (Denzel Curry). The breadth of content from Raider Klan members during this era was immense. Their wave could not be denied. All these classic tapes were released under the Raider Klan umbrella. Music videos from each member were posted on SpaceGhost’s legendary YouTube channel. Purrp was pushing the Raider movement just as hard as he was promoting his own solo works. In a matter of months Purrp had collated a roster of relative unknowns and turned them into the underground’s most prolific crew. Never before in rap history had a collective so vast been created. Artists from each corner of the United States were united under the Raider Klan’s 90’s renaissance. The sheer amount of classic material that was released by the Raider’s in this early- mid 2012 era created a movement that revolutionised the rap game.
Following SGP’s individual triumphs with Blackland he continued to shape the identity of underground listeners. With three separate movements: Trillwave, A$AP Raiders and the Raider Klan, Purrp kept himself at the forefront of the underground world. His 2011 to 2012 run, in terms of influence, is unmatched. It will never be duplicated again. By exerting his influence upon the A$AP Mob and pioneering the Raider Klan, SGP played a considerable role in shaping the underground as we know it today. As early as 2012, SGP had established himself as a deity in the underground world.
From an individual perspective, SGP kept his own wave strong. On March 3 2012, SGP signed a single album deal with indie label 4AD. More known for their pop and electronic releases, Purrp was the first rapper to sign with 4AD. Upon announcing his deal, he also announced his debut studio effort ‘Mysterious Phonk: The Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp’. The LP was set to feature remastered versions of his underground classics as well as a handful of new original songs. This label deal added a veil of legitimacy to SGP’s artistic proficiency. Suddenly, the major publications were beginning to take notice of the upstart producer/rapper SpaceGhostPurrp.
SpaceGhostPurrp also released a commercial (music video) for Mystikal Maze. The UnkleLuc directed visual takes footage of SGP’s SXSW performance and alters it in a mind bending way. The blurs, swirls and colourisation of the video bring Purrp’s God of Black vision to life in the most effective way possible. This music video serves as our introduction to UnkleLuc. His dynamic visual style brought the Raider Klan movement to the visual medium in ways unimaginable. UnkleLuc’s distinct visual style fit perfectly with the Raider Klan’s own distinct style. UnkleLuc and FXRBES would be instrumental in bringing the Raider Klan vision to life.
Heading into mid-2012 the stage was set for the continued ascent of SpaceGhostPurrp and the Raider Klan. They had constructed a wave which was undeniable. However, the supposed amicable split up of the A$AP Raiders turned out to be a farce. In June 2012 the beef between A$AP and the Raider Klan blew up. The once harmonious underground was now in a state of disarray. The war between the A$AP Mob and the Raider Klan was about to commence. The underground was about to change forever.
LO-FI | The Magazine 