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Hawthorne – A Film by Motown Priest

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Motown Priest’s new short film, Hawthorne, is a gripping, thrilling look at both opportunism and vulnerability, and how the two intertwine. It’s also the directorial debut of the Queens-based artist, whose incredible new album of the same name serves as the film’s soundtrack.

“When I constructed the film, I knew I wanted it to have the same themes and similar commentary as the album,” Motown Priest says. “I wanted both to be their own meditation on the downsides of ceaseless desire, identity, and capitalism.”

In the context of the film, the themes play out in the style of a Greek tragedy told in reverse, and it was all actually inspired by one of the greatest TV episodes of all time: The Sopranos’ “Join The Club” (Season 6). Motown Priest was particularly taken by the episode’s “self-reflection and metaphysical warning,” which he brings to life in myriad ways in Hawthorne. Essentially, nearly everything you see on screen has some second meaning, including the little girl, the shifting color palettes, and the various animals.

Like the album, the film also follows a cyclical format to drive home the message that the protagonist (representing so many of us) may have dreams and hopes, but he never acknowledges that he needs to work on himself to see any actual change. Without that acknowledgement, he’s only destined to make the same mistakes and end up where he started—or worse.

Check out the film and head over to your preferred streaming platform to support the full length album, out now courtesy of O’s Circle in partnership with Brick Records. And for the vinyl heads out there, the album is available now for purchase via GetOnDown.com in emerald green.

Follow Motown Priest:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motownpriest

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MOTOWNPRIEST

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Dtx57uXzhvBFSWJtWLWWq

• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/priestmusic

Follow Brick Records:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brickrecords96

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/brickrecords96

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrickRecords

• Website: https://brickrecords.com

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Motown Priest Returns with Brick Records Debut “Hawthorne” (Album Review)

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Motown Priest is a 37 year old MC from Queens, New York by the way of Detroit, Michigan who first emerged in almost a decade ago off his the strength of his debut EP This Thing of Ours followed by the full-length debut Art of Urban Warfare only nearly 16 months afterwards. But after an 8-year hiatus, the Motown Priest is signing to the historic Boston label Brick Records to help make a comeback on his sophomore album.

“Great Depression” is a jazzy opener asking what you know about pacing in a prison cell depressed out of your mind whereas “Pandora’s Box” goes full blown rap rock with a conscious take on the paper. “The Calogero Effect” works in a bare soul sample as dude talks about needing a closet to hide his skeletons in when he was a child just before “Farewell to Welfare” asks how much is a dollar worth over a boom bap instrumental with some unsettling pianos.

Meanwhile on “Employee of the Month”, we have the Motown Priest delivering a scathing & engaging takedown of the American Dream leading into the raw, grungy “New Religion” talking about the gangsta lifestyle. “Nathaniel’s Mask” returns to jazzier turf discussing power being a powerful drug in a city full of cowards & thugs, but then “For Sale” hope on top of some swooning vocal chops & string sections saying everyone’s for sale because everybody for self.

“Alphabeta” is a bluesy boom bap cut wanting to have a conversation with his people while the song “Trials” fuse some kicks, snares & a guitar loop to heartbreakingly looks back on the people he’s lost to the gang life. The penultimate track “Dreams & Stories to Tell” brings back the jazz 1 last time talking about that being exactly what he has to offer until “Drug Money Theory” ties things up with a conscious rap rock ballad.

For a debut, Hawthorne definitely gives new listeners a look at at the Motown Priest is capable of doing on the mic & is surely destined to continually grow as an artist from hereon out. The production is fascinatingly eclectic, it’s cohesive & the narratives give a searing look at the world we all live in today in such a gripping fashion by connecting the unique worlds of both music & film.

Score: 8/10

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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Motown Priest Shares First Single “Farewell to Welfare” From Debut Album

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Queens by way of Detroit emcee/poet, Motown Priest returns with his powerful new single, “Farewell to Welfare,” produced by Fendi Pendegrass. Through the duration of the track, Priest attempts to unpack the song’s central question and refrain: “How much is a dollar worth?” Backed by equally menacing production, MP uses his incredible lyricism to detail the different and sometimes-brutal ways that people try to escape poverty.

“Farewell to Welfare” can be streamed now through your preferred streaming platform with Motown Priest’s new album, Hawthorne, available now for pre-order and vinyl in a green color configuration through Get On Down. The digital release is set to drop April 14th release, with vinyl orders shipping on April 7th, all courtesy of O’s Circle in partnership with Brick Records. A short film of the same title—which serves as Priest’s directorial debut—is set to drop the following Friday, April 21st, and utilizes several of the album cuts as the film’s soundtrack.

Source: UndergroundHipHopBlog.com

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