Camp Blood remain Boston’s speediest storytellers — the quickest act in town to write an exquisite thesis, drop the mic, and retreat back to their studios to craft more industrial hip-hop.
The duo’s new song “Trap” (released today, August 27) solidifies that well-earned reputation in glitchy, explicit form, this time navigating the complex issue of gun violence in America.
The pair strips the subject down to its core in a snappy two minutes and 17 seconds, but like every Camp Blood track, “Trap” cuts deep long after its thundering beats finally quiet.
Haasan Barclay’s and Shaka Dendy’s songwriting doesn’t skimp on their signature caustic one-liners, either: “One false move / Another n**** buried” goes one bar that helps punctuate the mid-song tempo change.
“Gun violence was a huge part of my life growing up. I’ve lost friends and family to it,” Barclay tells Vanyaland. “It’s a survival tactic for a lot of people but it’s really important to understand that this is the result of deliberate systematic oppression over multiple generations directed squarely at the Black community.”
To that, Camp Blood aim their art right back at oppression. Tune in below.
***
A little over a year ago, Camp Blood brought wrestling to the checkered floor of Great Scott. Revisit that gallery, the source of the Emily Gardner featured photo up top, below.