Known to break plenty of rules, rising rapper Darnell Williams continues his hedonistic exploration on the single “Porno.” The raw wordsmith teamed up with Los Angeles-based artist/producer Elohim, who added some electronic magic to the crowd-pleasing track. A natural yet intriguing pairing, as Darnell and Elohim are very different artists, the experimental collab proves to be seamless, indulgent fun for its creators and listeners.
The record, a testament to the ambitious MC’s obsession with pills, partying, chaotic thoughts, religion and politics, opens with the growling line, “Life is like a porno everybody getting fucked.” A brutally transparent account of Darnell’s frantic, although street savvy instability, “Porno” reveals the rapper’s dark psychological palette, which is on the brink of self-destruction.
The song is a colorful amalgam of verses (Darnell) and vocals (Elohim) tumbling over and under a theatrical beat with a chant-worthy hook, “You’re the love of my life, and it sucks that you’re killing me.” Banishing complex stereotypes with lyrical themes about mental health issues is yet another factor that sets the sharp wit lyricist apart from his peers in a genre that frowns upon emotional vulnerability.
Perversely relatable, Darnell’s ecstatic energy coupled with Elohim’s synth erraticism makes “Porno” an epic sing-along record that is just as much pop and rock as it is hip-hop.
Speak On It!