Dumbfounded in Concert

Rapper Dumbfoundead Leaves Emory Students “Dumbfounded”

By: Mei Brasel

Asian American artists are beginning to leave their mark in the entertainment industry. They are the performers and YouTube is center stage. The video-sharing network is a meeting ground between talented Asian Americans who have bonded and are slowly taking over cities together and putting their talent on display. From charismatic crooner Joseph Vincent to eccentric songstress Clara Chung to visual pioneers Wong Fu Productions, these artists draw hundreds in numbers wherever they go. They embrace social networks to help pursue passions that would otherwise be impossible to display to the world. Dumbfoundead is no different.

 Dumbfoundead, formally known as Jonathan Park, is originally from Argentina but credits Koreatown in California as his hometown. Originally an underground rapper, Dumbfoundead has been able to reach thousands around the world because of social networks. His YouTube channel has around 238,000 subscribers and hit over 30 million views, his Twitter page has a loyal following of over 52,000 fans, and his Facebook has thousands of "likes" as well. With these overwhelming numbers, I had great expectations of what a Dumbfoundead concert would be like--with a large crowd who screams along the lyrics until their voices become hoarse--then they scream some more.

 Boy was I wrong.

The only loud noises came when people were shoving to get a good place in line as Dumbfoundead opened up the show with his concert with "She Don't Care", a piece he wrote over two years ago. As he rapped along, audience members gave no indication that they knew of the song or even wanted to be there. In the past, in local rapping battle the audience was always in sync with the rapper--taking in the lyrics and bumping their hands up and down to the rhythm of the beat. The funny thing is that these battles usually display freestyle abilities that no one has heard before—yet the crowd is still so alive. So why is it that audiences who, just before the show, were murmuring about how much they loved Dumbfoundead—just stood there and looked like that they wanted to be anywhere else but there? Did they not look up his videos? Did they only want to come see him because he was just another Asian American star and felt obligated to come? I'll never know. I just know it was one of the most awkward concerts from an established artist I have ever been to.

 With that being said, Dumbfoundead performed flawlessly. Performing old hits like his rendition of "Liquor Store Blues" (originally a Bruno Mars song) and "The Vacation Song" to new songs from his newest album like "BRB" and "Bitch", which drew a little rumbling when the title was announced. One of the best moments of the show happened when the rapper did an acoustic freestyle using impromptu creative word-play as he paced the stage back and forth trying to keep the audience engaged. His raspy and unique voice along with snarky and blunt lyrics make him one of the best untapped talents.

 Dumbfoundead's lyrics are a perfect blend of raw material about everyday life that can and do make it relatable to listeners. You should give him a chance and listen to his music. He talks about pressures from parents, wanting to just take a break from life, and falling in and out of love. I guarantee there is at least one in the plethora of Dumbfoundead songs that can be the soundtrack for your life. Yet others would rather listen to rappers who talk about having 24- inch rims on their cars, girls flocking to them, and drinking all day and all night. Dumbfoundead has been strengthening his craft since 2006. He remained true to his roots but was able to elevate his game with fresher beats and stronger lyrics. He's real. He's fresh. He's the truth. Do the smart thing--give Dumbfoundead a listen.

           

"Town"