In an age full of mumble rap, disrespectful lyrics and bass heavy beats, one rapper stands alone: Dave Burd. Otherwise known as Lil Dicky, Dave Burd is a Jewish rapper from Cheltenham, PA. Looking at the awkward, curly-haired white guy who graduated from the University of Richmond with a 3.3 GPA, you'd never suspect that he was turning the world of rap upside down.
Lil Dicky excels in Anti-Rap, a subgenre of rap which combines comedy and rap. This idea has been experimented with for a few years, but LD is one of the few building a career on it. According to LD, he started rapping "simply to get attention comedically so I could write movies, write TV shows, and act." But he ended up falling in love with it. Since his debut mixtape in 2011, LD has released one album under his label CMSN, and an EP under his alter ego, Brain. He goal is to have two simultaneous careers: one as a rapper and one as a comedian/writer.
With the background out of the way, here's why everyone needs to give LD a listen. LD is the anti-rapper of the decade. Firstly, his quick comical lyrics combined with his natural flow and speed can put anyone in a better mood. He always seems to find a way to make people laugh. Secondly, and more importantly, Lil Dicky is relatable. In his song “White Crime,” he raps about sneaking candy into movie theaters, stealing hotel soaps and other small "crimes" that we've all been guilty of. He talks about working the waiter and pinching pennies in his song “$ave dat Money.” Lil Dicky is the average American, and that’s who he makes music for. While other rappers position themselves as being at a status level we can only dream of, Lil Dicky is an everyman who happens to be have a knack for rapping.
Some rap heads have accused LD of not being serious enough about rap, but he should really be considered more of a comedian. Though to him, titles don’t matter. He still has big ambitions in the rap game. In his song “Professional Rapper,” Lil Dicky says "Well, I wanna be the dude that came in and made the stand up rap with the random rap and the man like that for the people that was anti-rap yet, the fans of rap started recognizing anti-rap is ironically one of the real brands of rap left."
Whether you decide he's a comedian or a rapper, one thing is for sure: The relatable, funny, talented artist known as Lil Dicky is someone we can all get behind. I highly recommend you give him a listen and make your own day better.
