Teenage rapper "on god connor," only 13 and already a hardened drill sergeant in the battle of life, has dropped his latest record, "show n tell," a brave narration of his stark reality entrenched in numbing substances, the currency of danger, and the commodification of love.
Right from the electrifying opener, "turned my mama to a fiend," Connor redefines audacity, juggling intense wordplay with an unflinching portrayal of his world. Rejecting a veneer of innocence that society expects from his age group, Connor's lyrics cut far deeper than the majority of adult contemporaries, bridging the gap between adolescence and adulthood in an unnerving leap.
"backpack full of chickens" is a standout, displaying mature technical prowess often absent in veteran rappers. The track undercuts its darkly comic title with sobering highs, where Connor rolls out verses painting a world where innocence surrenders to the grind of survival. The juxtaposition is executed with such raw finesse that it's almost easy to forget this music is the brainchild of a 13-year-old.
The cutting commentary of "child support," the album's closer, is an unsettling look into a reality that spotlights systemic inadequacies while puncturing the bubble of childhood sanctuary. Amidst crushing beats and a relentless rhythm, Connor channels his pain, defiance, and unyielding spirit into a lyrical masterpiece that demands not just your attention, but also your empathy.
Despite subject matter that stings, "Show N Tell" does not suffer from an overdose of despair. What saves it from becoming a gratuitous glorification of a harrowed upbringing is the underlying human spirit floating in Connor's verses. His storytelling bleeds an authenticity that implores listeners to stay, bear witness, and reflect on the parallel universe housed uncomfortably in the arms of affluence.
"Show N Tell" isn't a vanity project from an overreaching teenager; it is a visceral exploration of growing up too fast in a world that wrote you off before your first breath. The genius of "on god connor" lies not in his ability to provoke controversy, but in his skill to translate a toxic reality into resilient art. This is a record that stares despair in the face and lets loose a defiant laugh—a testament to human resilience and a call to acknowledge realities we often prefer to ignore.
Connor holds a mirror up to society, and we might not enjoy the gritty reflection. But if authenticity is the soul of art, then "Show N Tell" is veritable gospel, and "on god connor"—a prodigious messiah in the church of hard truths.