'Think it's about time that they go and take me serious/ If you not feelin' this, you probably delirious': the pre-chorus on Vermont-via-Massachusetts emo rapper nothing,nowhere.'s "hammer" is no empty boast. Joe Mulherin got his start as a SoundCloud rapper in 2015, and earned a significant amount of critical acclaim last year. He collaborated with emo pioneer and Dashboard Confessional frontman Chris Carrabba on last August's "hopes up". New York Times music critic John Caramanica became an ardent fan after featuring him a glowing interview profile in October, and then listed his debut commercial album Reaper (Oct 20, 2017) as his No. 1 album of 2017. Like many critics, he noted Mulherin's refreshing genre-blending of second- and third-wave emo and contemporary hip-hop - as well as his ability to utilize both genres "in the service of stark emotional vulnerability."
"hammer" follows the title track as a taste of his sophomore album ruiner (April 13th), from his new label Fueled by Ramen. It is not clear if Mulherin's intriguing juxtaposition of hip hop swagger and sensitive masculinity can match the commercial success of labelmates Twenty One Pilots' Blurryface (2015), but Mulherin is clearly traversing through a similar emotional terrain. Even in a straightforward song filled with creative boasts ('Play the guitar like a young Santana/ Reppin' VT like my name Bernie Sanders/ Livin' two lives like my name Danny Phantom/ All my shit bang like a motherfuckin' hammer'), it is that subtext of social isolation ('I remember when nobody came to my shows/ But I kept on comin' back like a yo-yo/ In high school, they would laugh, try to label/ Eatin' lunch with nobody at my table') that truly stands out.
What can a vegan straight edge rapper who donates to environmental causes and raps about his own feelings (while obscuring his face) instead of drugs, women, and money offer mainstream listeners? A refreshing vision of individuality, masculinity, and artistry for a new generation.
