Demrick is an MC from Philadelphia that draws influence from many different styles. His flow, cadence, and even some of his lyrical content is rather reminiscent of the west coast artists that he's worked so closely with thus far in his career, such as B-Real and Kurrupt. His most recent album,
Losing Focus, however, is more similar sonically to the recent trend of "introspective stoner" rap such as Mac Miller's recent output, relying on spacey, smoky, dark instrumentals and lyrics that aim to relate to the listener on a personal level, though Demrick's interpretation of this sound may be a tad abstract. There are also a number of tracks that are slightly more upbeat and bouncy that remind of his west coast influences.
Losing Focus is a diverse album that demonstrates Demrick's full range as an artist without ever stepping out of his comfort zone.
Most of the songs on this album sound very different from each other, but they all share a certain drugged out, somewhat melancholy atmosphere. Demrick's greatest skill as an MC is his ability to sound good over so many different types of production. Due to that omnipresent atmosphere, as well as Demrick's relatable lyrical content about topics such as overcoming adversity, stress, and being yourself,
Losing Focus is a unique, cohesive album that could potentially appeal to many different audiences. Tracks like [i]We Still Here[/i} and
Gleamin have very warm, soft, hazy melodies with a definite commercial appeal, and are immediately followed by a track like "Bout Us Cause And Effect", which has a lot more punchy production and venomous lyrics over what sounds like an industrial sample. Demrick even handles almost all of the hooks himself, using his featured artists sparingly.
Losing Focus is a record crafted out of passion for hip-hop and passion for life. Demrick is an all around great songwriter and lyricist, but as this record shows, he's really just a regular guy. He talks about every day things, issues that we all face, and because of this he's easily digestible. He certainly isn't taking any risks with his music, but given how diverse of an artist he's proven himself to be in the duration of this album, it's hard to see him stagnating in any way. Artists like Demrick play a vital role in bringing a little bit of real life and positivity into hip-hop, since those things aren't the most popular of topics.
Losing Focus is a refreshing listen, to say the least, and it's going to be exciting seeing what else Demrick is capable of.
