Artist of the Week: Rapper Steph

Boston-based Rapper Steph tells it like it is. Her politically charged lyrics are intelligent and talk of corruption, greed and the downfall of the American Dream. An inspiration to women everywhere, Rapper Steph is better than half the male rappers out there.

“There ain’t no way us folks can ever succeed/Because corporate greed keeps us down on our knees/And we’re still supposed to believe red, white and blue/But our HMO’s won’t cover the blood we spew,” she raps on “The American Dream” over a light percussion beat.

“The American Dream” continues to talk of Wall Street fraud, involuntary international invasions, the Patriot Act, and democracy among many other topics. Mid-song the beat picks up as does Rapper Steph’s vocals. The listener can sense the anger in her voice, and who doesn’t feel the same way about the issues she’s rapping about? Her unique and in-your-face perspective sheds more light than the topics discussed on the evening news. She raps about things people talk about but the media ignores – the truth and ongoing questionable actions made by our government officials. “Fight for your rights before freedom’s death/Because soon there will be none left,” she concludes.

Next track, “Robots,” talks of corporate greed. Aggressively taking a stand, Rapper Steph raps, “I won’t stay complacent/I will not sit down and take this/I will stand up and say shit/So my voice echoes off the pillars on Wall Street/They think they got us all beat/I guess they’ll all see/We are not their robots/We are not their clones/We will not do what we are told.”

“Present State of Mind” tells the story of everyone’s subconscious fight. Exhaustion, stress, failure, madness, optimism, success and passion are a part of everyone’s daily struggles. Rapping about overcoming obstacles and uncertainties, she comes to a positive conclusion: “Even through the shadows/I can see the light/And I won’t give up/’Till my soul throws the fight.”

Politics aside, Steph shows her humorous take on “Public Transportation Infatuation,” a tale of finding love on a train. “Your sin is only that you leave me breathless/You creep into my head so I can’t finish my sentence/Damn where was I, what was I talking about?/Got me head over heels with my foot in my mouth,” she raps over slick, seductive beats.

As can be heard on her five-song EP, Rapper Steph’s talent is undeniable. The topics she discusses throughout each track leave the listener questioning our government, policies, and standard of what we uphold as the American Dream. And, in the end, isn’t that what music is truly about? Making a statement while offering the listener to make his own conclusion.

For more on Rapper Steph, check her out on MySpace.