Patriarch - of Palestinian blood, born in San Francisco - exists outside of both the floundering hyphy movement and the indie powder-rap scene of the Bay Area. Instead, the emcee forges his identity with his Palestinian roots on his debut album Son of a Refugee.
Patriarch does so with lyrics tinged with Palestinian-minded musings. Rather than the concise political stones hurled by collaborators Dead Prez, Patriarch's lyrics are of the contemplative and frustrated sort. In this sense, Patriarch is reminiscent of a young Tupac: aware of a struggle around him, but too driven to be brought down by it.
Young Tupac, though unpolished as an emcee, was a rhinoceros of hip-hop. He stampeded over beats with a growl as menacing as his charge. Though Patriach's voice boasts a similar guttural tone, his vocal command lacks the confidence that Tupac exercised. Often, Patriarch refuses to let fly, and opts instead for half-assed chants.
He presents an incredibly nuanced personality though. He doesn't preach, and he embraces his status as a rapper pursuing success. Further, a recent trip to Palestine made him acutely aware of the struggles of his homeland. Though the ingredients do not quite add up on this album, by seeking production outside of his MySpace cronies, and by gaining a mastery over the mic, Patriarch may very well lead his own stampede.
