Initially getting into classical music at the age of 8, rapper Gordon Victor eventually found early influence and inspiration from jazz music. Now 18, the Charlotte, NC native creates a new-school style of “hip-hop soul,” filling his music with layers of meaning and smooth rhymes that evoke thought.
Rapping about the central theme of the White Strawberries, an expensive Japanese fruit that tastes very bitter, he explains how many people are sold on:
“The way they look
or their ability
to give you the image of nobility”
Although with this new track, his singing performance is very unique and has a nice, fresh sound, the flows on the beat come across as a little bland. A song truly about the message behind the words rather than a song to play at a party, his purpose on the track is clear. With some great vocals on the hook and outro, his voice carries him as if floating through the beat.
“Can you feel me?
Can you hear me?
No more white strawberries.
No more white strawberries.”
Clearly valuing the importance of inner substance, he asks a series of questions to close the track. Drawing the parallel between the white strawberries and people in general, he asks his listeners the question “Are the people you invest in really worth the price?” Living in a world full of art with no real value beyond the surface, Gordon Victor is striving to put his heart and soul into every work he speaks and every note he plays. Locked in and focused on his music, he sparks creativity by listening to the classical composer J.S. Bach and he wears his influences on his sleeve in the best way.
Constantly working hard to improve his talents when in the booth, he is always trying new things with his voice. Whether singing new melodies, changing flows constantly, and bringing new levels of passion to the craft, keep an ear out for his newest sounds. Be sure to check out White Strawberries below! Comment below what you thought about the song!