Courdek

Avenue of the Arts crew member Courdek isn’t just another artist after the glitz and glam of the rap game. Throughout Courdek’s debut solo album, Synchronicity, he expresses his skills as a conscious lyricist in thoughtful chorus and verse rhymes. Composed and performed almost entirely by the MC and producer himself, the album utilizes both heavy instrumental samples, with the classic sounds of flutes, pianos and trumpets, as well as computer-generated cosmic beats. In “Travelin’ Man,” a somewhat existential journey through the perils of life, slow guitar and a clap beat accentuate Courdek’s quick-paced flow. “Judge Not,” a keyboard-driven melodic track, questions what can be done for a tired and scarred old man who hates the world, or a beautiful woman with insecurity and vanity issues. Courdek answers with positivity and a warning that judgmental people are usually left to feel alone. And on “Everyday,” fellow Avenue of the Arts artists Ill Al the Anglo Saxon, Mykr Fiend X, Ame, and Beatnik add their rhymes to a flute-led melody. With a vast vocabulary, the uncanny ability to squeeze multiple syllables into short bar measures, and catchy, often soulful choruses, Courdek is another breath of fresh, intellectual hip-hop to come out of the Valley.