THE SCORE

Who is Wax?  Well, to be brief, he’s been a lead vocalist, viral YouTube rap sensation, ex-Def Jam signee, creator of a No. 1 hit in Austria (“Rosana”) and, most consistently, a maker of undeniably dope music. Since bursting onto the scene with his 2008 video, “Wax: New Crack!!!!”, which amassed more than 2 million views, Wax defied the pigeonhole by fusing his original, funky vocals with unbelievably witty punch lines. His latest release, Livin Foul, is vintage Wax, as the 35-year-old artist’s impeccable flow and unique singing provide a 12-track, 54-minute insight into the world of a musician too talented to have never reached mainstream stardom.

The album’s first two songs, “Scumbag” and “Hypnotic,” are quintessential examples of Wax’s inability to be defined. On “Scumbag,” Wax sounds more like a Neutral Milk Hotel frontman than a rapper, using raw retro vocals to describe why he is light-years away from being a stand-up gentleman: “Before I asked you for your name/ I would probably ask you if you had cocaine.” It’s funny, painful, short and powerful as Wax continues his status as a perennially open book. 

But this vibe is short-lived as the artist transforms into a rapper destined to garner aux-cord respect among any crew on “Hypnotic.” Over banging drums sure to ruin your ill-equipped car speakers, Wax brings forth an unforgettable self-summarizing energy in the song’s hook: “Get it, got it, the flow’s psychotic/ I used to freestyle now the style fill the pockets.” Wax reminds his audience that while he may be more than just a rapper, he’s still just as talented lyrically as any of today’s emcees. “Hypnotic” makes you feel like you’re in a venue akin to the rap battle stage from 8 Mile, with heads bobbing and feet smashing a sawdust-covered floor as Wax cockily proclaims, “Going to Hawaii treating y’all like Sarah Marshall.” As his folky-rock intro transitions into a track that channels “’Till I Collapse”-era Shady nostalgia, the question becomes more emphatic: “Who the hell is Wax?”

While that shall remain unanswered, many of the album’s sounds are familiar, drawing parallels to past Wax hits. “Sugarcube,” a love song, strongly reminds me of his 2011 ode to the beautiful med-shop employees of the world, “Dispensary Girl.” “Livin Foul,” the album’s titular track, utilizes the same smooth-flow/singing combo that brought more than a million views to Wax’s 2011 song about being a proud possessor of a DUI, “Two Wheels.” Additionally pleasing to hardcore Wax fans is his pairing with his identical twin brother and fellow rapper Herbal T on the must-listen “Give It To You,” bringing back memories of videos like “Low Budget,” on which the brothers made musically magic beats with around-the house-items like cellphones, wine glasses and even a stove. While some critics might never be able to capture the essence of Wax fully, the artist himself certainly knows what his audience craves on one of his records.

The album’s most impressive track is “No Smoking In The House,” a 10-minute, 24-second odyssey fueled by some lyrical mastery. For any doubters of Wax’s credibility as a rapper, fast-forward to the 3:20 mark of the song and listen to what he can do with 15 seconds: “It goes shot, shot, shot/ like Mario Lemieux/ middle of the nipple and the areola too/ prepare to roll a few when my album leak/ and make like a falcon beak atop a mountain peak that chirps how/ Alvin speaks.” He’s still the same guy whoreached YouTube fame back in 2008, except for one simple evolution: “But it’s different now/ in certain kinds of ways/ except that we still be blurting lines for days/ And stepping out of that purple kind of haze/ Only thing changed is the phrase ‘No smoking in the house.’” He might be a 35-year-old self-proclaimed scumbag, but at least he’s now a 35-year-old self-proclaimed scumbag with a health-friendly mantra.

While Livin Foul isn’t iconic, the non-major label release allows for unadulterated, classic Wax — 12 tracks of whatever the hell the artist wants. It’s far from perfect, but so is its creator, a biographical fact that Wax will always be the first to mention. In a hip-hop game full of forced brags and trying infinitely too hard, Wax comes through as a refreshing breath of unfiltered air.