Milwaukee Artist of the Week – 4/12/13 – Pacino

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Allen Halas

Are you a Milwaukee musician/band? You can submit your music to be the Milwaukee Artist of the Week by emailing links to info@BreakingAndEntering.net. We’ll check out every submission we get!

In the past, Milwaukee’s hip hop scene has been divided, to say the least. Either you were an east side lyricist, craving to recreate the golden era of hip hop in the mid 90s, or you were a north side hustle rapper, talking about the latest in trend in all things shiny (rims, chains, etc.). While there is still a strong element of both mentalities alive in today’s Milwaukee hip hop scene, hybrids are starting to emerge. That is to say, rappers in the city have learned to take a little bit of both worlds; a little street, mixed with a little backpack. One of these hybrid rappers is this week’s Milwaukee Artist of the Week, Pacino.

Upon browsing through Pacino’s online body of work, it’s easy to see that he is influenced by a variety of artists and styles. While his beat selection may be loud, trunk ready music, there are actual lyrics to back it up, as well. Tuning into his Soundcloud, I was hit first with “Advance”, a dramatic, loud beat, with hi hats that sounded ready for the next Chief Keef mixtape. Yes, there were tough, hustle lyrics. But it’s just one song. The next track, “Forever Makes Me Cry”, is more of a smooth, storytelling track. Clearly, there’s more to go around here. Pacino mixes up the style seamlessly, which is something many rappers struggle with. The important part of this diverse style is that it keeps the listener interested. Sure, many people can write a 20 song mixtape with regurgitated lyrics. On the contrary, you could write an album that takes a listener back to the era of baggy everything and lyrics that you have to Wikipedia to understand. Or, you could do what Pacino does, and blend to create something original. That creativity is something to be admired, and we can only hope for more diverse lyricists to come out Milwaukee. Take a listen to Pacino, and take a lesson, aspiring rappers.

“Advance”