By Glenn Alderson
The Vancouver-based artist kicks off a new era with a slow-burning R&B ballad pulled from her upcoming EP Product of Loneliness.
Calgary rapper Sinzere has always regarded herself as a truth-teller, often integrating eye-opening and sometimes shocking social commentary into her tracks without disguising a single word in metaphor. Her latest single, “Tricky,” finds her speaking directly to her audience and giving the advice they need to hear, imploring Black listeners to harness and hang onto their ancestral power while offering some detailed historical wake-up calls as she recounts some of the greatest injustices time is trying to erase.
“Black people have been tricked out of their place in this world. We’ve been made to feel less than,” she says about the track’s inspiration. “They say money is the root of all evil but it’s not, it’s the nature of the man with the money. Politicians, police officers, judges, all of these levels of government are infected by all of these layers of racism and greed.”
Lyrically touching on topics like the origins of slavery, church bombings and the media’s propagation of messages that create self-hatred and infighting within her community, Sinzere’s lyrics are visceral and affecting, delivered through gritted teeth over a trap beat and an eerie, plucked guitar loop. Wanting to prioritize a message of internal strength, Sinzere achieves that goal while simultaneously mobilizing listeners to take action.
By Glenn Alderson
The Vancouver-based artist kicks off a new era with a slow-burning R&B ballad pulled from her upcoming EP Product of Loneliness.
By Adriel Smiley
With fresh beats and breezy production, the future, once again, is looking bright for the Portland-born rapper.
By Molly Labenski
With duets, found sounds, and a fearless collaborative process, the Vancouver band’s debut album delivers surprises at every turn.