Hands up if your 2021 BINGO sheet had a Prince Edward Island-based rapper releasing a nursery rhyme-sampling track that name drops Caillou. No one? That’s what I thought – yet somehow this is where we are. Vince the Messenger adds another plot twist to the New Year as he once again showcases his wit, lyricism, and depth on his latest release, “Black Sheep.”
With soulful backing vocals throughout and a simple old-school beat, “Black Sheep” allows Vince to take center stage. The track leads in with the assurance that the titular animal protagonist follows its own path. “Black sheep never follow where the shepherd go. Black sheep pave his own road.” Vince then moves on to tackle a variety of subjects with expert precision and skill.
One of the best things about rap music is its rapid-fire nature. It is a succession of lyrical gymnastics that is best absorbed on repeat listens. Vince carries that torch proudly and adeptly flows from topic to topic seamlessly throughout the new single. As mentioned already, he references that he will be “balling like Caillou” but within the same track he references Marcus Garvey and neither seems out of place.
The video released to coincide with the single is a very straightforward Super 8 capture of Vince as he goes about his day. It lends itself well to the old school vibe created by the song. Everything about the production of both the video and the song itself serves to spotlight Vince’s talents as an emcee. It’s tremendously refreshing to see the artists trust in themselves in such a way.
“Black Sheep” is clever, insightful, and never strays into the superficial posturing that is all too common within the current hip hop landscape. In the east coast hip hop scene that is drastically underappreciated, Vince the Messenger challenges you not to take notice of his talent as he continues to not only follow but pave his own road.