The Brooklyn-based bluegrass/hip-hop-fusion outfit Gangstagrass has released a new single, titled “Nickel And Dime Blues”, ahead of the band’s forthcoming No Time For Enemies album, due out July 24th via AntiFragile Music.
Arriving as an urgent message of solidarity and struggle, No Time For Enemies is more politically-focused than previous releases, however, it maintains the same upbeat marriage between the music of Appalachia and hip-hop fans have come to expect from Gangstagrass.
The first single, “Nickel And Dime”, follows this philosophy, offering a critical assessment of financial insecurity and healthcare. Lead vocalist Dan Whitener sings of a poor worker who is unable to afford his medicine at a pharmacy, or liquor to soothe his worries, ultimately ending up in prison. Fiddle, banjo, and the scratching of turntables sit atop a hip-hop-inspired beat, creating a base for the country crooning and rap verses.
“We believe in talking about the economic struggle,” said Gangstagrass founder Rench in a press release. “These are things folks across the country can relate to—rural and urban, black and white—despite thinking that they’re so different. We have to unlock solidarity.”
Rench continued, “Too many people are seeing each other as enemies when they could be communicating and finding common ground. If anything, this pandemic is showing so clearly how connected we all are, we just need to realize that those connectors run down to our part in poverty and racism.”
Listen to the newest Gangstagrass single below and head to the band’s website for more information on the forthcoming No Time For Enemies album.
Gangstagrass – “Nickel And Dime Blues”