STARGO IS A PROBLEM

STARGO IS A PROBLEM

Since announcing his BAR III Mixtape and subsequently releasing both the track list and features list, I have gone back to listening to BAR I (2014) and BAR II (2015) respectively.
The idea is to try and guess the kind of tape EL would put out (BAR III) than reminiscing on the ‘dopeness’ of the tapes. And I have a hunch it’s going to be a bridge between the melody driven sounds that filled BAR I and the all-rap vibe that BAR II offered.
If there is one song  that have received more spins than some other favourites on BAR I it is ‘Wash Away’. The track saw EL drafting one of the rappers he considers among his ‘favourites’- Stargo ‘Da Problem ‘.
Wash Away is one of my favourites  because of the theme of the song- the metaphorical use of water (rains) to represent renewal, positivity, replenishment and/or salvation (Let the rains falls down/ And wash away … Everything around me is changing/ nothing is still the same); the mellow, meditative aura of the tune; and overall delivery of Stargo.
The are myriad of reasons why an artist would put another on his song and topmost among it include the talent of the featured guest and his/her overall contribution to making the song better. As Ludacris put it, you, as a featured guest must bring your all to the song as respect for getting featured.
And rightly so, some artist have seen their career take off after ‘bringing their all’ to a feature. A lot of examples abound in GH music scene- Sarkodie, Joey B, Pappy Kojo.
For many with keen eyes and ears on the GH music scene, Stargo is a known name. He has  been around for a while to build a following thanks to his lyricism and versatility.
My first encounter with Stargo came after hearing his incredible delivery on Wash Away. I became more interested in Stargo after seeing him perform at the BAR I Concert in 2014. By the time he was done with his performance at the BAR II Concert in 2015, I was a fan. The diminutive rapper with a subtle charisma has won me over.
Is often not the case for a rapper to body EL on his own track. EL  knows how to bring his tricks to bare to make his verse memorable. However, on Wash Away, Stargo proved why he is one of the best lyricists around but bodied EL on his own track. Stargo rapped:
 

‘We amputated clocks and left them with no hands/ Stuffed me in a tight corner bet they left me with no chance/And to be honest I ain’t used to this program cos  I’m from the West we don’t gangbang with no clans/ The grind is alive the money coming with no bands/cos the hustle we took was slower than a slow dance/To a slow jam/Man dey grow damn/The born fire pan rubber gotta froze hand/My penny for thought/ A nigga gotta save a little cos I see my future so bright/Need to shade it a little/Change gon come my balance from a shit paid/You can only stand as a man on your shit legs/Success is the only thing I can pay these ingrates/And transformation to selling an album from the mixtape/ I robbed Peter with 9M to pay Paul/ Close range so my thoughts would stay far ‘.

 
Stargo from the above verse offered us a glimpse into the state of his career path, his ambitions, desire for success and staying sane.
His stellar performances and brilliant lyrics either on his own mixtapes or as guest verses has not only vindicated EL’s assertion of the diminutive, dreadlocked hipster rapper as one of his favourites but earned Stargo spots on previous BAR mixtapes (I&II). He is also featured on the yet to be released BAR III.
 
Stargo may not be known within the mainstream music scene but for hip-hop lovers, he is one of the best to touch the mic. His charming qualities lies not only in his lyrical prowess but also the calming demeanor, little voice and cool swag he embodies.
Check out his latest single and his GOD EP.
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Wash Away ft. Stargo
Written by : Swayekidd, MannyFBC