A black band creating rapcore that is better than the white rock bands doing it? Can it be? Yes, it can be, it is, and now you have a chance to find out for yourself. One of my big disagreements with the marriage of rock and rap is that, unfortunately, too much of what I’ve seen over the years has felt like a poorly done mash-up. The imitators of the genre were everywhere and even included, in my opinion, some of rock and hip-hops biggest names. With few noteable exceptions, the genre has promoted white rock bands that attempt to rap, sometimes effectively, frequently just sounding like a poor imitation of black culture over blaring guitars. Maybe the problem is not with the genre itself but with the unfair preconceived notion by the industry that being a black performer means you can only do rap or soul music. El Pus doesn’t care about any of that shit. On Hoodlum Rock Vol. 1, the Atlanta-based rock and roll rap band El Pus has taken back the rock and invented a catchy, bangin’ series of mini-anthems. El Pus manages to accomplish what we haven’t seen the likes of since, perhaps, Fishbone: formed an all-black rock band that raps and sings with equal power. El Pus is equal parts Red Hot Chili Peppers, N.E.R.D. and OutKast, with flows and delivery that will make you bang your head, bounce and laugh at the same time. Don’t look for some huge revelations in this collection. The album doesn’t deal with any complex issues — it’s just a loud, fun, party record.

Within weeks of reading this, I think El Pus will probably explode in popularity and even people who don’t like rap will be singing their anthemic rock song, “Suburb Thuggin’”. For the remainder of the year, I hope to hear people singing the refrain, “La la la la la, you’re not a tough guy” over and over again until I’m so sick of it, I have to turn my radio off. I hope it’s a huge crossover hit and that rock stations from coast to coast play it until the airwaves are overrun with suburbanites who realize how stupid they look trying to act thugged out. Seriously. So rather than keep trying to explain them, I just suggest you listen to the song. It’s a loud, raucuous punk rock warning siren to all those kids in the suburbs (and you know some) who still think saggy drawers, wearing bandanas, and saying, “‘Sup dawgg?!?!”, makes you tough. It could be Green Day, it could be Fishbone, it’s easily that good. If you listen to the song and get offended, there’s a good chance El Pus is talking about you and you already know it.

To order more songs by El Pus from iTunes, you can click here, or click below to order the CD.

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