Written by Kristyn Potter Friday, 31 August 2012 15:35

London-based artist Focus the Truth puts the “real” back into hip-hop.

 

The Queens, New York, born-and-bred rapper has gained momentum in the past few months, after releasing a promising and equally fulfilling video “As the Horn Blows” and following that up with a mixtape that dropped earlier this summer.

It’s hard to distinguish the better of Focus’s quality, both being aesthetically and lyrically pleasing. The video depicts the struggle of our generation, flashing between a diverse range of faces and cultures during the chorus, all mouthing the words along with the rapper: “As the horn blows all I hear is get money/ stay loyal, be cool, forget what them niggas do and just do you.”

What Focus tells the audience is what some of the greats of the hip-hop game have been known for spitting. In a day and age where rap as a media form is saturated with songs about money, sex, lies, and scandal, Focus depicts another reality: the possession of a dream and its transcendence (or lack thereof) throughout one’s life.

It’s comforting to find an artist who finds and puts value back into the industry. His integrity and ability to speak and share the truth with his audience shows promise, as his mixtape has shown us. It would be a mistake to sleep on Focus the Truth, as he may be one of the only artists in the game these days who is actually spitting truth. | Kristyn Potter