With Native Rapper, it isn’t just about what he’s rapping about — the Kyoto artist’s songs seem just as interested in pushing the sounds of words, pitching and slowing them down and turning his voice into Play-Doh. Newest song “Motor Pool” thrives on this, Native Rapper gleefully manipulating his voice over a relatively laid-back beat, one punctured only by the occasional sample and some shifts in the music. But the center is his voice, unpredictable but emotionally rich, in whatever way it bends. Listen above.
