Existentialism that aims to de-construct the hip-hop world, one line at a time.

Hailing from the West Coast, The West Ghost’s persona is quite the enigma. On Son Of Sorrow, The West Ghost shows four tracks which attack the preconceptions of hip-hop (being focused upon mass wealth, beautiful people etc), showing a more truthful face to the life of someone within the hip-hop world.

My goal is to show people that happiness comes from reason and doing
what’s right, not from seeking it.

Wrapped up in waves of neo-hip-hop, layered with sub categories that vary between rock and electro; Son Of Sorrow carries a heavy load throughout, tackling issues of self-doubt, depression, isolation and much more.

Throughout this four track EP (plus a remix of Eastghost’s Voyeur), The West Ghost’s lyrics are challenging, direct and riddled in a sense of self-doubt, personal dominance and a constant fear. Each track shows a different story from the life of The West Ghost, which all tie into one key concept. The notion that hip-hop can be dark. It can be unsure of itself. It can be bold and irreverent, without speaking about a false living. Hip-hop is thought-provoking, exciting, energetic and should never be thought as being otherwise.

The key track on this EP is Worthless; summarising Son Of Sorrow’s story perfectly. Balancing out dark, thought-provoking lyrics alongside post-trap (dark-trap) beats, with subversive electro, amplifying The West Ghost’s alternative construction of hip-hop; the lyrics on Worthless are completely unafraid to be bold and apparent, even while speaking about self-worth and personal struggle, The West Ghost shows no fear in their details:

Waking up’s the worst part of the day/year, but if I don’t then it’s much harder next time.

Bleeding Blue (Colour Trip) equally so, uses a background of whaling guitars in unison with track pad beats and piano chords, providing the tracks lyrics a higher level of attention, perfectly connotating the emotion felt from The West Ghost’s lyrics, while still maintaining enough style to keep Bleeding Blue exciting and fresh.

Lyrics that don’t convey a source of escapism, but rather a self-awareness that the hip-hop lifestyle is a fad and life isn’t what the mainstream wants you to believe. The West Ghost challenges hip-hop to move away from its current stale mix of stolen beats and repeated lyrics, running thought-provoking lyrics, which hit hard emotionally. Retaining a cooler than ice demeanour, with slick beats that fuse hip-hop, r’n’b, rock and pop together to create music that’s bold, heavy, thunderous and yet deeply damaged, The West Ghost’s own vulnerability shown throughout Son Of Sorrow’s lyrics is breathtakingly beautiful.

Leaving nothing but an emptiness, caught up in a state of distraught existentialism, Son Of Sorrow is truthful, dangerous and damaging, yet sickeningly addictive.

9.