Homeboy Sandman - Actual Factual Pterodactyl - @@@@

All manners of culture thrive off of creativity and the participants’ will to expand on prior accomplishments, thus Hip-Hop’s ongoing struggle to remain fresh and groundbreaking. With pushing the envelope comes the inherent conundrum tied to experimentation, whether an artist’s experimentation will be lauded for its ingenuity or dismissed for going too far against the grain. The burgeoning AOK Collective’s Homeboy Sandman finds himself in this very position, with a loud buzz throughout the underground and tastemakers upholding him as a crucial stalwart set to rise to greatness. With his sophomore release Actual Factual Pterodactyl, he has his sights set on claiming a spot amongst today’s up and coming elite.

To call Homeboy Sandman unique would be an understatement as there’s no box he neatly fits in. His biggest draw on the mic is amazing breath control, though he’s an acquired taste of sorts with a robotic voice employing a most unorthodox of styles flipping all manners of flow and harmony with his rapping. Topically he also can’t be contained to one lane, managing to come playful with “Food Glorious Food”, and painting a vivid picture of ghetto life with “City Darker (Monstrocity)” alongside the monstrous battle raps that are expected from any subterranean sensation. The album’s music toys with everything from Spanish jazz on the creative “Mambo Tail Tale” to alternative rock on “Wise Up” and even heavy metal on “God Fire Breathe” as he seamlessly takes ownership of any palette he’s provided.

With Actual Factual Pterodactyl, Homeboy Sandman manages to destroy every obstacle in his path using an array of vocal tempos as his weapon of choice. His left field risks and the versatility shown in the efforts he takes to expand boundaries will surely appeal to those who miss the days of vintage Def Jux releases. The albums dull moments are few and far in between as Homeboy Sandman’s presence is interesting to say the least, albeit confusing at points being that you never know the next trick he’ll pull out of his bag.