Few words are more likely to make novelists and screenplay writers cringe more than “likeability,” the idea that the protagonist in any commercial work needs to be likeable in order for the story to reach a wide audience. It’s a major restriction, one that sometimes stands in the way of good art. Thankfully, likeability has never been a prerequisite in hip-hop, where some of the biggest stars adopt personas that are unapologetically rude, arrogant and sometimes downright off-putting.
Milwaukee’s Pacino is one of those rappers who falls ever-so-slightly on the “unlikable” side of the spectrum. Like Danny Brown and 100s, two rappers he shares some vocal similarities with, there’s something pushy about him. He raps in a snide sneer about how gifted he is, and though he’s got the talent to back it up—he easily slots into the top 10 percentile of local rappers—that harsh personality may sometimes stand in the way between him and a large audience. Nonetheless, he makes the cockiness work for him on his long-promised full-length, Chasing History, which he finally released this month after a long pre-press campaign.
The album is for sale now on iTunes and other major retailers. You can stream the single “Tried Told” below, via Soundcloud.
