Coming of age in one of the most prominent rap capitals of the United States, Chicago-raised Femi Adigun is a first generation American, born to two Nigerian parents. His upbringing in Chicago had a significant influence on him and would later lead Femdot to transfer from Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania to DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. His subject matter ranges from college degrees to witnessing shootings at high school parties. A young, relentless, and poetic artist, Femdot proves to be one of the most talented voices out of Chicago in a long time. Although he doesn’t have the numbers of Polo G or Lil Dark (two young Chicago rappers who have recently bursted into the spotlight), he can certainly hang with them, if not surpass them lyrically and vocally. NYLON offers a very poignant, in-depth biography of Femdot here.
After the release of Delacreme 2 in June of 2018, Femdot now had a full-length project under his belt.This project demonstrates the vast array of skills present in Femdot’s arsenal. The introductory track “Lost” sets the tone for much of the album: hearty, lyrically developed, soulful, meaningful, and garnished with gospel tones. The second track, “Exit (The Bounce)”, offers a bold melody with plenty of references to his time in State College (“Thought I was goin’ Ivy League, didn’t make it / I was takin’ too long guess I’m Penn Statin'”; Finna take all my talents to Pennsylvania”). Throughout the album, Femdot wrestles with his decision to return to Chicago and put most of his time into a music career. Although an artist with a solid following, Femdot raps as if he is the average high school student, saying on “No Scholarships”: “Didn’t study for exams but I’m gonna pass like I crammed.” Femdot received more attention after Lyrical Lemonade decided to produce the music video for his track “0’Something” in October of 2018.
In 2019, Femdot returned with a series of singles in preparation for his next project, 94 Camry Music. All of the singles had car themed cover art, which was a unique artistic touch to unify all of the individual releases.
A year after the release of the “0’Something” music video, Femdot dropped a seven track album titled 94 Camry Music. Many of the songs on this album also have an automobile theme. For instance, at the beginning of “Hot Lunch” the listener can hear the sound of a car being started. The most popular track on the album, the eponymous “94 Camry Music” is a catchy, windows-down summer anthem. It is clear that this album is extremely nostalgic for its creator, from the lyrics throughout the album referencing local hangouts to the album being named after an old car. “Happy Breakup Song” is a unique twist on a breakup song, at times so realistic and honest that it is gut-wrenching (“Crazy thing I’m gon be with someone doing all the things that you told me to / And someone gonna love you like you deserved to”). Femdot concludes the project with “Snuck to Matty’s”, a song that runs for six minutes and thirty-seven seconds, in which he recounts a night that a party he went to got shot up. Femdot weaves together a thriller of a story over smooth bass chords and vintage percussion.
Femdot’s most recent release is a two track package titled Buy One, Get One Free Vol 1., on which fellow Chicago rapper Saba is featured. With much to offer, Femdot is a refreshing voice in the rap genre, offering catchy tracks that actually hold water when it comes to lyrical depth. Although he is still on the come-up and has not quite garnered widespread fandom, he is nonetheless an extremely talented and unique face in the rap industry.
Personally, I have never heard of Femdot, but by the end of this blog post I found myself listening to “94 Camry Music.”I find your passion for low key artists, at least in my opinion, super interesting. Not all good music is mainstream. When is his next album dropping? Have you ever been to a concert?
I’m always on the lookout for new music, especially from relatively new or undiscovered artists, so I found this post very interesting! The fact that Femdot spent some time at Penn State creates a special bond between students here and his music since I’m sure that his time in college impacted many of his beliefs and, subsequently, the music he creates. I’m looking forward to listening to some of Femdot’s music and seeing where his talents take him in the future!