KVKA - "CUPID'S REVENGE" LP

Fresh drop by KVKA - an energetic and surprisingly well traveled young MC from Zambia, via Melbourne, who isn’t afraid to try varied beats and flows on this debut full length. Though there seems to be two distinct and icy cool sides to both the rapper and the album, the overarching outward mojo is something quite hardened and tough - whether straight up aggressive and taunting over a gritty beat, but even when songs move to the slicked drink sippin’ dance floor, or more sentimental experimental jazzed out funked up poetics. Admittedly it makes for a bit of a schizophrenic album, but that doesn’t stop KVKA from shining in all areas. Hell, you can’t blame him for showcasing as many of his strengths in one place when you never know when your next chance might come along. 

Cupid’s Revenge is mos def a modern rap record; there’s the auto tune and introspection and R&B swings and sways, but it does drip with the boastful swagger that the genre has always had as it’s cornerstone. The joy here is that it all works. In a recent interview KVKAshared the following and it shows.. “I felt like even being born on Valentine’s Day couldn’t guarantee me luck in love, and I was trying to create the soundtrack to my new world as a way of moving past it. It’s also a fuck you to everyone that doubted me in the past and a celebration of finding myself, cherishing the people around me and taking brave leaps to chase my goals.” Right on.