Introducing ‘Notes from Mr. Sandman‘ – a column slapping a spotlight on lyricists overlooked, under appreciated, or just plain criminally slept on. Or like a man named Nas once said, “I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death.” Enter Mr. Sandman with what y’all missed while chasing the REM dragon.
Planet Asia is the John Starks of rap, a forever underestimated player who is largely remembered for what he didn’t do versus what he did do. You can chalk it up to a failed stint with a major label, but true heads know what Planet Asia is about. A blue ribbon lyricist who can attack from all angles.
There’s nothing dramatic about how Planet Asia gets down; it’s all academic. He’s a tireless workhorse, and in the 20 years he’s been in the game he’s accrued three EPs, six solo albums, and 11 mixtapes. And that’s not even counting his collaborations, which add another ten projects to his already stacked resume.
The beauty of an artist like Planet Asia is that you can go all the way back to his self-titled EP, and find exactly what you’d find today, which is a working class hero who lays the hammer down every time. “Handlin Business” is a jam that speaks for itself. Over a minimal beat Planet Asia serves up a fresh helping of rhymes, reassuring fans that if you dine with him you’ll get nothing but grade A quality every single time: [LISTEN]
Promoting a lyricist like Planet Asia is not easy, he’s too conscious for the mainstream and too freewheeling for the underground. He floats between styles, and that’s what’s made him such a commodity. Planet Asia’s collaborations run deep and he’s held court with everyone from Madlib and Ghostface to Linkin Park. And that doesn’t happen by accident, you got to have substance and style, while still communicating your ideas clearly. Planet Asia does all that.
On “International Voice” off the album Via Satellite (with producer TzariZM), Planet Asia gets his Cannibal Ox on taking his sound to the far reaches of the galaxy. Yet even in deep space his sound still resonates loud enough to where the hip-hop cosmos take notice, using simple wordplay to convey big ideas. A skill that most lyricists lack: [LISTEN]
Lyricists like Planet Asia are a dying breed. He’s the type of artist that works closely with producers to maximize the experience, ensuring quality craftsmanship from the first beat to the last bar. Most MC’s are content with mailing tracks in but Planet Asia puts feet to ground, and makes sure that the end product is always fresh. And in a time where lyricists mask deficiencies with gimmicks that style couldn’t be more inviting. He’s a timeless professional whose voice will always be synonymous with quality rap.
