“Social Vandalism” is the newest album from Washington D.C. rapper Vincent Settles, formerly known as Vin-O and Denard Dapoet, but now going by the moniker v!n$ynT. This is the third musical project released by Wealth4ward MEDIA, a company founded by Vincent that promotes positive thinking and motivation towards achieving one’s goals.
On this project, v!n$ynT gives us his socially-conscious yet brutally honest views on the state of America amidst a turbulent half-year of COVID-19, unlawful murders of African Americans and subsequent worldwide Black Lives Matter rallies and protests. The album kicks off with the first of three voice messages placed on the tracklist. Here, a friend of v!n$ynT brings up an incredibly profound point that the current Black Lives Matter rallies aren’t fueled by rage but by love, in the sense that you need to be passionate to do what you can to bring about the positive changes needed in the world. This intro is both an integral moment and a thematic locus on “Social Vandalism”, where the lyrics do come from a deep, dark place of frustration and anger, but are intended to raise awareness of an unjust system that’s become part of the social and political makeup of the United States.
The tone of the album is brilliantly established on the following track “PROLIFIC THOUGHTS” with its forlorn piano and guitar-assisted instrumental and v!n$ynT’s cynical look at the hypocrisy of the American Dream. He ends the track with some words of wisdom: “Shackled up by feet and hands, they blinded all our eyes / designed a program about our plans, they guided us with lies / until you deprogram yourself, you never stand and rise / Reprogram all your beliefs, that’s how you free your mind”
The concept of “freeing one’s minds” is re-iterated on the piano-assisted track “RED PILLz” which, if you know your pop culture, is a reference to the tracking device used in “The Matrix” to help Keanu Reeves’ character learn the truth behind his computer-generated reality. Here, v!n$ynT presents himself as being ‘addicted’ to these red pills, mainly because there are so many lies incorporated into American society that, admittedly, NEEDS to be exposed. The sung hook (which honestly grew on me after a few listens) has a thematic aura of temptation, as v!n$ynT is beckoned to leave the pills behind and return to normalcy.
“CONTRIDICTIONS PART 2 (vandal mix)” finds v!n$ynT exposing as much lies and double standards as possible over the track’s 3 minute and 17 second runtime. From the health care system designed for the rich and wealthy to the admittedly cryptic nature of the Bible (points for the Killah Priest “Basic Instructions before Leaving Earth” reference, by the way), v!n$ynT goes in and goes hard on this beat! I imagine this song will rub some listeners off the wrong way, but I’d make the argument that the song was designed to expose the truth, even if it offends the listener. Simply put, just because these things are perceived as ‘reality’ or ‘the truth’ doesn’t necessarily mean they are.
Thankfully, v!n$ynT switches the tense, dramatic progress of the album with slightly upbeat, insightful and motivational musical moments. Over the breezy, sunny vibe of “SWOLED’D UP” (a true highlight on the album), v!n$ynT raps about the satisfaction of using his musical talents to make money as opposed to the seemingly ‘easy’ way of selling drugs. On the following track “RIKKI-TICKI-TAVI”, which is easily the BEST Rudyard Kipling reference I’ve heard in a rap song since – I don’t know – “The Jungle Book”, v!n$ynT delivers some cocky, charismatic bars centered on remembering where you came from, especially when you’re on the path towards something greater.
Another highlight on the album is the track “YNs”, where, similar to 2Pac’s CLASSIC joint “Young N***as” (the beat itself has a pleasant West Coast-vibe to it, by the way), v!n$ynT delivers cautionary tales to his peers still caught up in the street life. But there’s a moment on the second verse which brings another dimension to the album itself, where v!n$ynT raps about having sex with a girl, knowing from a moral standpoint it’s wrong, but doing it anyway to please himself and impress his peers (“Pornographic footage, panorama view / Losing to temptation, my excuse is “I’m only human” / Half early bird, half night owl / The hood took us under, swallowed by the lifestyle”). Even in the ‘comfort’ of the community he stands by, it is so easy to get caught up in the hood lifestyle, perceptions and stereotypes glamorized by the media than rise above them.
And this leads to the final two songs on “Social Vandalism” and the album outro. On “JUNE 19th”, v!n$ynT expands on the history and significance of Juneteenth whilst reaffirming his commitment towards bringing positive change with his music. And on the powerful “ELEVATE 2 LEVITATE”, he raps about using music to express himself and encourages listeners to find their individual voice, hone it and use it to change the world. I dug the two beat switch-ups on the track, the first using an epic, gospel-fused beat and the second utilizing pitched vocals and a trap-assisted instrumental. On that particular switch-up, v!n$ynT raps about taking care of your mind and body. He ends the track excellently with the following couplet “They say don’t bite off more than you can chew, I have to say in all honesty / I’d rather choke on greatness than to nibble on your mediocrity”
The album ends with an audio recording of a conversation between two women. The older of the two recalls a protest where a log was placed on the highway, preventing anyone, particularly white folk, from entering a certain town. Afterwards, they both express how unsure they are of the outcome of these current Black Lives Matter rallies and protests. Evoking v!n$ynT’s cynical view of America throughout the album, the elderly woman ends the conversation on a chilling note when she mentions seeing a white man with a M.A.G.A. cap on television (“When he say MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, he mean MAKE AMERICA WHITE AGAIN”)
In the end, “Social Vandalism” more than lived up to its title. On the one hand, it’s a direct attack on the broken system of the United States, while on the other, it motivate listeners to be aware of the socio-political climate around them and change themselves before they even set out to change that system. Lyrically, v!n$ynT commands this project, and the production does a great job in complimenting the moods, themes and lyrics presented here. Like with any piece of politically-charged art, some may not agree with v!n$ynT’s views and opinions on American politics and culture. But like art in general, this album was meant to provoke, to confound and most importantly, spark thought and discussion on the subject being presented. If you’re a fan of political hip hop, bold, thought-provoking lyrics and socially-relevant subject matter, this is an absolute must-listen!
OVERALL RATING: Light to a decent 4 out of 5 stars.
“Social Vandalism” available on 7/3 on all music streaming services.
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