Dumbfoundead has had an active 2017, to say the least. Not only did he launch his own label and collective in BORN CTZN, but he also dropped his Foreigner EP. Today, he announces its follow up, and it's coming sooner than you think.
On Dec. 8, the Los Angeles-based rapper will release Rocket Man, an EP that takes its name from how Trump recently described the leader of North Korea. The wild nature of this incident wasn't lost on Dumbfoundead.
"'Rocket Man' is the nickname that Trump gave North Korean leader Kim Jong Un - when you turn on the TV and hear these things, it just doesn't feel real," he tells Complex via email. "At times like this, turning on the news feels like I'm watching cartoons. I wanted to take this unreal name, and actually turn 'Rocket Man' into a fictional character that's not necessarily Kim Jong Un. With every project, I like creating animated, ethereal characters. So all the images on this project are going to embody this fictional 'Rocket Man.'"
And while the title serves a specific purpose, Dumbfoundead explains the stories within the project have a deeper meaning to his life and the people around him.
"This Rocket Man EP had me thinking about my dad and mom coming to this country as immigrants. I tried to think from their perspectives - they've made a lot of mistakes, so this is not just about the 'triumphant immigrant' ... it's me turning up, getting ratchet! I don't want to tell just the immigrant success story, this is about everything going on right now and how we have to survive. We have to be confident and strong during these times, but we're made up of more than just our success stories."
Fans receive that message in spades with lead single "Every Last Drop," with the video featuring Dumbfoundead living it up on a boat in his own way.
"My family came to America with nothing but now we own things and have created a lineage with successful offspring. This is a 'WE HAVE ARRIVED' immigrant turn-up anthem," he says. "Growing up in this country, there were times we were made to be embarrassed for our status in this country, but immigrants are (and have always been) running shit and I wanted to make a song to show that pride.”
Check out the video for "Every Last Drop" above, grab the song on his official website, and stay tuned for Dumbfoundead's Rocket Man EP due out next month.
