“Watsky … Watsky … Watsky … !”
The crowd is chanting, filled with anticipation and excitement at a jam-packed concert hall in San Francisco, Calif. at his childhood dream venue, the Fillmore Auditorium. They are waiting for one man: George Watsky.
Watsky is not a mainstream artist but an independent rapper who has been making a name for himself as a legitimate musician after a viral video gave him the chance to show his skills to a worldwide audience.
The popularity of the viral video launched him into a wider audience but his effort and ability have made him a global mainstay. Watsky has the ability to bring happiness, joy, humor, sadness, despair and everything in-between into a genre in which suggestive themes are rampant. His approach led to the March 2013 release of his third album, “Cardboard Castles,” which topped the iTunes chart for 16 weeks for best-selling hip-hop album.
Anyone and everyone can enjoy this album; from hip-hop addicts to people who never listen to the genre, this album will blow your mind.
Within the 18 tracks, three hits stand out: “Strong as an Oak” “Moral of the Story” and “Cardboard Castles.” “Strong as an Oak’s” chorus, “Everything is a-OK because I’m strong as an o-a-k but money don’t grow on trees and I’m b-r-o-k-e”, echoes as trumpets and vibrant beats accompany the struggles of being broke and getting by.
“Moral of the Story” has a rugged and hash beat with heavy drums and an intense trombone, as one word continuously repeats: “work.” It carries through the chorus, reflecting how working hard and never giving up on dreams will get people where they want to go in life.
“Cardboard Castles” deals with overcoming adversity, as it tells the story of a little kid who was picked on for expressing himself as an architect, something that Watsky went through in his childhood. Watsky lets his personal experiences surface into his songs, giving listeners a taste of what he went through.
First introduced through his spoken words, George Watsky began traveling to local areas in his hometown of San Francisco, performing poetry slams to small audiences. His poetry skills were noticed by former Run-D.M.C. frontman Russell Simmons. In 2007, Simmons invited Watsky to appear on his television show “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry,” a showcase of the best poets from around the world. Watsky performed his signature poem “V for Virgin”; an anthem for social awkward people who never had the chance to have love lives in school.
Fast forward four years later to a time when the term “viral video” had new meaning for Watsky. 2011 was his year of expansion, as he released a video called “Pale Kid Raps Fast”, which brought him YouTube stardom. He made several TV appearances, including performances on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Last Call with Carson Daly.” However, Watsky had greater plans for producing his own style of music.
Watsky’s goal was to be a musician different from the modern norm of rappers and musicians — not to be a Lil Wayne or a Drake or a Kanye West but to be a George Watsky.
The YouTube fame generated from “Pale Kid” allowed George to release more of his music and poems to a larger audience, amid a whirlwind of support.
The crowds will be chanting for Watsky for a long time as he has proved he has the talent to incorporate a multitude of different emotions into an amazing repertoire of songs packed into making a mind-blowing experience that everyone will enjoy.
