Blog August 12, 2015
Frankyboy Murdafeen Keeps It Real
Bounce, the unwaveringly infectious dance style from New Orleans, has produced a few nationally known stars, most notably the “Queen of Bounce,” Big Freedia. But mostly, bounce remains a distinctly local genre, and many bounce MCs never receive the attention they merit outside New Orleans. One of those MCs is the outstandingly named Frankyboy Murdafeen. In the past eight days, Frankyboy has released three new tracks on Soundcloud, all of which are supremely catchy. The first, “R.I.P. ASAP (Holding On)” manages to be both a poignant tribute to a fallen friend and a dancefloor killer. Frankyboy instructs his listeners, “You’ve gotta shake for ASAP, rock for ASAP, shake for ASAP, rock for ASAP,” as a soothing ‘80s r&b sample intertwines with “Triggerman” (the basis of every bounce track).
Another new track by Frankyboy, “Keep It Real Keep It Gutta,” is truly a monster, so it’s fitting that an MC named Monsta makes an appearance on it. The song sounds like nothing other than the gleeful heir apparent to late-‘80s Miami bass, with its inebriated nursery rhyme lyrics: “Humpy Dumpty sat on a wall. He got drunk off that liquor so he had a great fall.” At one point, Freddyboy raps, “Nick nack paddy wack, give a dog a bone” over a Jackson Five sample. And in spite of all the silliness, the track ends on a conscious note, as Frankyboy says, “Stop the killing. Stop the violence.”
The third new Frankyboy Murdafeen song is a fast-paced, raunchy twerk anthem, filled with rolled “r”s and manically syncopated rhythm. Although bounce is known for its repetitive nature, Frankyboy does a good job of varying his tracks with intertwining samples, and he slows “Moneymaker” down toward the end, giving the ode to booty a dignified backdrop.
