Minneapolis-based hip hop artist Agape, whose works include a hip hop, liturgical worship service, once marketed himself with posters saying, “What if Eminem were a Christian?”
Milwaukee-based hip hop act Figureheads, Inc. could have posters that said, “What if Eminem was invited for your next school assembly?”
Taking Eminem-styled hard rap (with its certain amount of white boy rock hip hop) but lending a beauty, brightness, and hope in the face of adversity, Figureheads showcase their act most often in school auditoriums and assemblies. While the phrase “positive message” might sound like an old school after school special, Figureheads let old school beats pound out that positive message in the middle of street rhymes and R&B flow.
On February 26, as part of the second annual Milwaukee Music Awards, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee awarded the Figureheads with the 88Nine Music & Community Service Award. Celebrating with an awards party at Milwaukee’s Mad Planet, Radio Milwaukee put on a great show of DJs and local artists performing short sets. It was the club scene meets indie rock meets college radio, music locally-dipped into handmade batter. Plus, Radio Milwaukee gives back to the community with an hour before the show being dedicated to networking for local bands and venues.
Figureheads started their short set with “If” from their 2001 self-titled disc, which blends that hope with a ambient groove laid down beautifully by guest guitarist, A.J. Fink from Northern Room. They also showcased some tunes from their upcoming disc. Their set made me think of New York City’s Levi who while being less kid-friendly feels a lot like local radio—a voice for the people not just the industry-media-mogul-scene. In that same vein, the Figureheads are providing the voice for the kids and not just another part of the system.
What speaks most about the power of the music is what happened for my 2½ year old son, Jude. Listening to the Figureheads’ 2006 album, The Movement, in the car while preparing this review, Jude quickly picked up on the lyrics. He was ready for the call-and-response on “Identity”: “I’m me/and I just wanna be/I’m me/and that’s identity/You and me/That’s community/You and me/That’s family,” so that after we parked the van, we walked into the zoo singing the song. Then on the way home, he listened to “Windows” and later sang the words to Mama at home: “Open the window/Let blow wind out/Let your voice/Don’t be shy, just let it out.”
It’s the kind of music that is giving my son his own voice. If the Figureheads can do this for a 2½-year old, imagine what they are doing for middle school and high school students who can truly understand the lyrics. But don’t get me wrong; this isn’t Raffi Rap. The Figureheads can get crunchy and tricky; they’re talking about gritty realities in music that is radio-ready rap not Disney Radio-ready fluff.
When I first heard The Movement, I couldn’t help planning uses for the songs in church settings as the Figureheads set out to raise up youth on high expectations, giving them hope and direction, and inspiring them to break destructive cycles.
That, of course, sounds very pedantic and pedagogical; it’s talk for school administrations, leadership training, and youth ministry vision planning. It’s an educational component not usually present in a music review.
However, while this is the mission of the Figureheads, and while I am completely serious when I see how the music lines up with what I often am trying to teach in my work as a pastor in the church, you need to remember that I am having all of these pedagogical thoughts while grooving to fresh beats, crisp hooks, and clever wordplay, and buoyed on The Movement’s melodic, hip hop style.
Figureheads, Inc.
Radio Milwaukee
