Lyrics Born coming to Nectar Lounge & Bossanova Ballroom in September

Rapper and producer Lyrics Born is coming to the Pacific Northwest for multiple shows in late September. He will play Seattle’s Nectar Lounge, Portland’s Bossanova Ballroom, and more. For a full list of dates and locations, as well as ticket information, click here.

Lyrics Born is an artist who cares about the message of his music. He candidly tackles the issue of Asian-American under-representation in the entertainment industry, which he’s worked his whole career to overcome. As surprising as it may seem, being 2018 and all, LB is still one of the first Asian-Americans to play Lollapalooza and to release a Greatest Hits record. Plus, he is acting in a film with Randall Park, produced by Ali Wong, both who work on Fresh Off the Boat – The first US sitcom starring an Asian-American family since Margaret Cho’s All American Girl.

Also, in an incredibly blunt and emotional track called “Can’t Lose My Joy” – Lyrics Born discusses the complications that came with his wife’s cancer diagnosis. He hits on the flaws of US healthcare, and the looming fear that never really leaves, as well as bringing attention to the existence of the “Blue Collar Artist”. I thought that last point could be really fascinating to talk to LB about right now – There is a huge and obvious divide in our country, and often times when we discuss the needs of blue collar workers in America, we imagine a very specific set of jobs. The reality is that the blue collar work-demands and lifestyle extend far beyond those jobs, even into the entertainment industry.

Here’s more from Lyrics Born himself, “I think that as Recording Artists, because we are fortunate enough to follow our calling, and we are so adept at self-marketing and imaging, there is a myth that we are billionaires, who live trouble-free, extravagant lives. The truth is, the majority of us get up every day and go to work because we have to, just like most Americans, with no guarantee that our next song, album or tour will be a success. We face the same obstacles and uncertainty that all working people face, and our fortunes can rise and fall equally as fast.”

On top of that, he recorded a cover of James Brown’s “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” but changed the title and some of the lyrics to update the message — “No one is a bigger James Brown fan than me. The song is a classic, but the message needed updating. I love using the third verse as a bulletin board for posting what requires correction in the world, because unfortunately it’s usually one of us men who’s created the imbalance. We as men need to take responsibility for our roles, and make the necessary moves toward change wherever and whenever we have the power to.”