初の日比谷野音ワンマンを控え、今年も発表された8枚目のアルバム。〈オメーはオレを怒らせた〉という宣言（?）から本作を始める真意は窺い知れないが、前作で見せた地に足つけたスタイルや曲調、より届く言葉へと向かったみずからのラップを、アグレッシヴに揺り戻す意図はありそう。“上”や“コンプレックス”での声を振り絞るようなサビをはじめ、前半はトラック選びも含めてその傾向が強い。しかし、それらを越えてズシリと耳に響くのはやはり、片親というそれぞれの生い立ちが交差するKOHHとの“家族”だろう。クラシック然とした刃頭のトラックに、互いの父親のバックグラウンドや憎悪、追い詰められた家族の姿までも浮かび上がる壮絶な両者の自画像は、心を震わせずにおかない。
[English Translation]
Hannya "#BIRTHDAY"
Gearing up for his forthcoming first solo performance at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall, extremely successful MC Hannya released his 8th full length album. Not sure what the opening shout "Omee wa Ore wo Okoraseta (meaning You Pissed Me Off)" by his friend/voice-actor Naoya Uchida, is really targeted for, but this can be considered a sort of 'declaration' for his own rap style to aggressively swing back from the one in the previous piece which described the attitude and melody as down-to-earth and the lyrics as more listener-reachable or whatever. Especially the tracks chosen for the first half such as "Ue (meaning Up or High(er))" and "Complex" with hook in a pressed, squeezed voice obviously follow the line while the following "Kazoku (meaning Family) feat. KOHH" goes way beyond. Produced by the renowned DJ/track maker HAZU, this deeply heartbreaking track is almost like a classic masterpiece that would never age. Exposing the shared sentiment on their single-parent households, father’s backgrounds, loathing, desperately cornered family figures, the tune depicts the absolute fierce self-portraits of both phenomenal rappers. Just naturally moves me so emotionally.
