Lyrics with a Pen and a Pad: A review of Netflix's Rapture series

Throughout my youth, I searched for new forms of artistic expression. In school, I had to read passages that I didn’t find a connection with but something made me look more into expressive rhyme. One of the things that inspired me to look into poetry was rap music. When some people think of hip hop they think of drugs, women, and violence but there's more layers to it than that. True hip hop paints images of the urban landscape in the same way that Robert Frost described his environment in New England. These voices help you see perspectives that linked with yours or shared a view that you would have never seen in your lifetime. As rap continues to prevail as the most popular form of music , many studios try to document the tales of some of hip hop’s most influencial artist. The most recent attempt at this is Rapture.

Netflix and Mass Appeal created a series that highlighted the lives of nine artists who strive to acheive a dream that seem so distant for most people. With the length of each episode being as lengthy as they are (average episode being 1 hour long), I know that some may skip around or ignore some episodes. For the curious viewer, I decided to give a brief look into each episode to provide more insight and maybe inspire you to watch an episode that you would have skipped.

Episode 1: Logic:

Logic's past has always been know to me but getting a chance to hear from others in his life. His trouble life presented more struggles that some people would believe. Some assume that being biracial makes life easier but individuals who are multiracial face their own issues. From having an abusive mother and a drug addicted father, Logic found motivations from his surroundings to hustle her lyrical skills to bring a better future for himself and those who supported him. As he continued to increase in popularity and launch his third studio album Everybody, Logic strived to push forth another agenda outside of simply his style: positivity and love.

Episode 2: Nas & Dave East:

Nas has been known as one of the best rappers in history and one of the individuals who made Queensbridge . One of the unique point of views that Nas and Dave present is the pressure they feel to provide so much for their family. Their success is not just their personal gain but to also support those who are in their corner through thick and thin. Nas, being a classic emcee from the 90s-early 2000s, continued to share the power of his influence to provide opportunities for others in New York. His ability to help his brother move to an honest lifestyle allowed him to one day sign the forementioned artist, Dave East. Dave East also shares some of his own humble beginnings, which started with him playing high school basketball with Kevin Durant, ending up in jail, and making a comeback with his talent for crafting lyrics. At the end, we see two of New York’s finest rappers continuing to bring lyrics to a game that is currently dominated by vibes alone.

Episode 3: T.I.:

T.I.'s episode mainly focused on the mature mindset that he has now as he continues to work on furthering the fight that African Americans struggle with in today's climate. Even though he's not in the same mindset that he was in when he released "I'm Serious", he still reflected on his time being a drug dealer in his youth. While in thought, he also reflects on the family he has today and how to keep them living a life beyond his own childhood. T.I. ventures to meet with individuals like Maxine Waters, Harry Belafonte, and Jane Elliot to see how he can use his platform to bring awareness and change to so many communities that are hurting.

Episode 4: G-Easy:

With a cosign from a legend in Rap, E40, G-Easy has some respect in the rap industry but still has a way to go in the eyes of many. Being a child in the single parent home, G had to figure life out while sharing a room with his mother and brother. G-Eazy speaks on not being able to turn off his celebrity status as he continues to be surrounded and kissed by fans. As he travels to Lollapalooza in Chlie, G-Easy mentions his desire to stay on top while also battling the fatigue of always being "on" and working. He also warns the viewer that if this is the life that they want to live one day, to realize that what he struggle with is what they will also have to deal with.

Episode 5: 2 Chains:

2 Chains shared the struggles he had, coming up in a community where most of the people he knew were drug dealers. His upbringing caused him to follow that same lifestyle. His charisma allow him to be successful as a rapper. In his own words, he is not the best rapper but he has a flow and work ethic that makes others want to hear his work and follow his trends. 2 Chains continues to show others that their path to success doesn’t mean to follow the trends but to carve your own lane.

Episode 6: Rapsody:

Rapsody is a rapper who goes against some of the stereotypes people have about rappers: she's a female who doesn't use her sexuality to sell records and she's from the small town of Snow Hill, North Carolina. Her manager, legendary producer 9th Wonder, described how Rapsody’s success is based on her talent and consistent drive to be her best. As the viewer, we witness her family speaking to the dreams that they had for her but how Rapsody formed her own dream and is living it, including being able to rap for Jay-Z (which ended up signing her to Roc Nation).

Episode 7: Just Blaze:

Just Blaze is one of the producers that form the landscape of hip hop music in the 2000s. His list of collaborations range from Jay-Z to Mariah Carey. Continuing from the heights of the Roc-A-Fella era, Just Blaze continues to be an influential producer who looks for ways to find other . His sound is a mixture of soulful samples, the boom-bap of hip hop past, and his love to experiment with what is possible with technology. From his upbringing in a middle class home to eventually finding his own footing in the music game, this episode highlights how the passion Just Blaze has for music allowed him to be successful.

Episode 8: A Boogie with a Hoodie:

A Boogie with a Hoodie is a New York rapper that has been pushed as a leader in the younger group of hip hop artists out the five boroughs. While A grew up and struggled, he did not turn to selling drugs like so many have before him. He discuss how family is so important to him and how he keeps a tight knit group around him. From staying safe with security to always pushing his music, A Boogie shows that his struggle is a continual process and that this chapter in his career is just the beginning.

Is this Series for me?

If you have no interest in rap, this series would not change your prespective. Three of the episodes I would still recommend to you is Episode 2: Nas & Dave East, Episode 5: Rapsody and Episode 7: Just Blaze. Nas is a legend and hearing how his story and grind is helping another lyrical artist come into his own is inspiring. Rapsody's story is so unique that even if you weren't a fan of rap, hearing her experience as a small town black woman dealing with racism, sexism, and doubters in the rap industry. Also, Just Blaze's love for music and technology is a very unique story as well.

If you are a hip hop fan, this series does a great job highlighting artists from different backgrounds and how their experiences influence their craft. From Queens, NY to Snow Hill, NC, we continue to see that across race and gender, music continues to be a common thread that allows people to tell their story.

Rapture is currently exclusively streaming on Netflix. The series is Rated TV-MA for language.