The Song & Video:
Ise Lyfe sends a direct message with the first single “Bad Word Bounce” from his upcoming album Prince Cometh. As the minimalistic beat starts, there is a moment of recognition: the beat, the black-and-white video… Ise’s new track is a play on Snoop Dogg and Pharrell’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” However, this video delivers a drastically different set of ideals; no cars and booty-shaking here. The first lines “I’m gonna go ahead and go there / Nobody else will,” and their implication set the tone for the rest of the album. A master of spoken word, Ise tackles issues from the objectification of women to the failure of the media to cover important issues, all in a highly charged manner reminiscent of a poetry reading. The socially aware lyrics cannot be ignored, especially when Ise says, “Take this personally;” there is no doubt he expects reaction and participation from his listeners. The song expresses frustration at the lack of social consciousness in this generation. Ise does not intend to watch idly as the problem worsens, and “Bad Word Bounce” relays that message.
The Background:
Ise Lyfe, born in Oakland, California, was influenced strongly by Langston Hughes and started writing poetry as a teenager. As he continued through his teenage years however, Ise became caught up in many of the negative elements in his community. It was after witnessing a murder at a concert that Ise realized what had happened, and the social awareness that he had almost lost. First recognized nationally for competing in the annual Youth Speaks Poetry Slams Finals, Ise started out in coffee shops and at open mics. He was soon performing in clubs, auditoriums, and eventually universities at home and abroad. His arc of success reached a new level when Ise was featured on Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam. He has since co-founded the P.O.W.E.R. Movement, an Oakland-based organization dealing with the educational, social, and political needs of young people. For his second album Ise joined forces with Bay Area producer Nick James in their effort to create a popular culture of consciousness with Prince Cometh.
