George Watsky is a rare talent in the slam poetry and rap world. He doesn’t let the potential for money and fame take away his integrity. With his new album dropping today, we decided to shine the spotlight on this emerging artist.
While he has been around for a few years, Watsky is anything but mainstream. And that’s not a bad thing. He really stepped into the spotlight around 2006 when he won the Brave New Voices National Poetry Slam. His poems were quirky, intelligent, honest, and funny – something that has since transferred over into his music.
His first CD, Invisible Inc, was released in 2007, and he has since followed up with a series of albums and mixtapes, including Watsky (2009), Guilty Pleasures (2010), A New Kind of Sexy (2011), Watsky and Mody (2011), Nothing Like the First Time (2012), and Cardboard Castles (2013).
Many people found him via YouTube, on a video that was then called “Pale Kid Raps Fast.” The video, below, shows off Watsky’s talent of rapping at the speed of light, turning difficult phrases over without breaking a sweat. It’s something he has proven he can do again and again in his music.
Watsky is talented, true enough, but so are a multitude of other people in the entertainment industry – both artists signed to major record labels and others who are still trying to “make it.” But there’s one thing that truly makes Watsky stand out.
He doesn’t compromise.
It isn’t about the money. It’s about the music. It isn’t about the fame. It’s about the fans. It isn’t about proving something to the world. It’s about taking what’s inside you and finding someone else who enjoys it as much as you do.
How many artists do you know who are willing to give away their songs for free? Who don’t expect people to drop $15 for an album and get mad when they download them illegally because they can’t afford it?
Watsky understands his fans, and he doesn’t believe money should get in the way enjoying the art.
‘Spending your whole career trying to get signed by a major label is like working your ass off trying to break *into* prison.’ –George Watsky
Watsky’s music certainly isn’t for everyone. It’s not something you put on to forget about your problems. It’s not something you can belt along with. It’s certainly not something you just turn on for background noise. It’s smart and sharp. It’s meant to be dissected and analyzed. It’s art, and it should be treated as such.
Watsky’s latest creation, Cardboard Castles, drops today, March 12. From his Facebook page a week or so ago, he had this to say about the album:
Only 10 days until the release of Cardboard Castles! Usually when I put out something new I get a bit nervous what the response is gonna be. This time I’m just excited for everyone to hear it, partly I’m really proud of the quality of the music, and partly because this project has been so long in the making I just want to let it fly. Obviously I want the record to do well, but at the end of the day, the point of being an artist is to communicate your point of view to people, and I think this album does that as well as I can.
A week ago I met a guy who was telling me about a producer session he was in with a pop songwriter, telling him they had to dumb down their material because they were ‘making music for children’ and it’s actually better NOT to be witty or original when you’re trying to make hits. That may be true for SOME pop music, but regardless, fu-u-u-u-ck that mentality. That is the thought process of someone who either 1) should have decided to be an investment banker instead of a musician or 2) forgot why they got into creating art in the first place. It’s alarmingly common.
I am so lucky to be able to create music that i’m proud of with a group of really talented collaborators. Hopefully we sell a zillion copies and i’ll be able to buy raspberry swishers and capri suns for everyone in America. But regardless of what happens, this position is a gift that I cherish. Can’t wait to share this work with you guys.
If you still have any doubt about the type of person Watsky is, about how much he cares about his fans, or about how much he values the integrity of his work over everything else, we’d suggest you take a moment to check out this video promoting his new album and its accompanying tour. It truly gives a look into Watsky’s dedication to this project and the passion he has about his art.
Check out our review of Cardboard Castles, and buy the album on iTunes. You can find Watsky on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on his official website.