Diandra Reviews It All

Deeply spiritual and intuitive are not usual descriptions for a rising rapper, but they are the steering qualities for Sir The Baptist. Releasing his newest record Saint Or Sinner on May 12, the album is a sonic embodiment of Sir’s soulful tug of war; he is a man that lives in his heart while working through a world that can live in its pockets. Unbelievably raw and unavoidably hopeful, Saint Or Sinner is a must-listen album for any human being who needs understanding/ healing, especially when it comes to distinguishing the differences between spiritually and materially prosperous.

Admittedly for such a thoughtful album, it is hard not to dance to Saint Or Sinner. Usually, when you think of pensive records you do not expect the funkadelic rhythms of “Replay” or the club bounce of “Saint or Sinner”, which, immediately, makse you want to turn up the volume and bust a move. Yet, both of these songs, like most of the album, are written from Sir’s search for inner peace, stability, and constant enlightenment. A preacher’s kid, God cannot help but show up throughout songs like, “God Is On Her Way” and “Deliver Me”, as Sir searches for strength. For Sir The Baptist, God is approachable, which, nowadays, might be a revolutionary idea. He writes every song as if God is sitting next to him on the couch, and listening and agreeing with Sir’s love for every LGBT member, class, race, and gender. When it comes to prejudice and discrimination, he boldly declares their wrongfulness, which is why, beyond being unabashedly Christian, he is also fearlessly political. In a world where “alternative facts” are lies painted as truths and meanness can be approved if it looks good, Sir has no problem calling politicians the new Pharisees, and, anyone who does not believe in human equality, a dishonor to Jesus’ name, even if Christian. Such boldness builds the tension of the album as Sir uses songs like, “The Wall” , “Raise Hell”, and “Wake Up” to reveal his inner turmoil: he is trying to lead people to becoming their “better self” while feeling like he is not his quite yet, or at least, not consistently.

Sir The Baptist’s charm can be divided between his literal voice and his lyrical one. As hinted, Baptist is a raw poet, which means lyrically he will captivate you with his honesty and humility. He knows that rising to God is a hard road, which is why his literal voice has a fragility to it. As he “sing-raps” through Saint Or Sinner, his voice becomes a guiding melody throughout each track. Vocally, he is fluidly dynamic, introspective, optimistic, and fighting the pangs of pain that often wish to extinguish our inner light. Hence, the sonic clash between his real lyrics and fantastical beats unite to exemplify how torn he can feel internally. While no song sounds alike in terms of genre, from the Gospel of “What We Got” to the Reggae fusions of “Marley’s Son”, they all share a display of Sir The Baptist’s soul, which is a really great one. To Buy Saint Or Sinner On May 12 Click Here.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

May 2nd // Nashville, TN // Mercy Lounge — with NAO
May 6th // Washington DC // Broccoli City Festival
May 11th // Los Angeles, CA // Winston House
May 15th // Chicago, IL // WCIU ‘You & Me This Morning’ (morning)
May 15th // New York, NY // Playstation Theater — with Desiigner (night)
May 17th // Chicago, IL // SoHo House
May 20th // Eugene, OR // Willamette Valley Music Festival
May 31st // New York City // Highline Ballroom — with Oddisee
June 4th // Montauk, NY // Surf Lodge
June 15th // New York City // Cooper Hewitt x Smithsonian Event
June 16th // Dover, DE // Firefly Music Festival
June 25th // Chicago, IL // Mamby on the Beach Festival
July 2nd // New Orleans, LA // Essence Festival
July 15th – August 3rd // Europe // Summer Festival Tour
July 15th-16th // Paris, France // Afropunk Paris
July 19th // Nice, France // Nice Jazz Festival
July 21st-23rd // San Sebastien, Spain // Heineken Jazzaldia
August 19th // Mobile, AL // Love U, Love U Event
August 20th // Chicago, IL // South Side Family Day
September 7th-10th // Raleigh, NC // Hopscotch Music Festival
October 7th // Chicago, IL // Ezekiel Taylor Scholarship Foundation Gala