A live show. An international tour. A late-night drive through Portland. A visit to the site of the Kent State Massacre. The maps charted through Novel Path, the short but mighty new EP from Lt Headtrip and NorthernDraw, branch out across time and space, but all converge in our protagonists’ heads. It’s a list of metro stops along the astral plane, train doors opening to reveal telepathic kittens and sudden 40-story drops. You can smell the streets of Queens and climb over the rubble of the destroyed stages Headtrip and Draw leave in their wake. Novel Path is a psychedelic journey deeply rooted in place, even if that place is the ether.
Lt Headtrip, founder of Karma Kids, is a dynamic performer. He raps with an elastic Midwestern twang, his voice sometimes presenting as a low, menacing growl, other times squeezing through percussion like a rubber ball under a hydraulic press. Verses that initially read as abstract puzzles click into place to reveal a simple existential truth: It’s all about the experience. Armed with a crate of records and a dusty sampler, Northern Draw crafts beats that feel like they’ve existed forever, each lived-in loop cycling like a locked groove. The production on Novel Path is warm and radiant, all rounded edges and thick, rubbery bass.
Headtrip and Draw have a natural chemistry, working on the songs in close quarters during the three years Headtrip lived in Portland, Oregon. Artists from around the world show up, rapping or singing in Swedish, German, Arabic, and French. The legendary Rob Sonic (Sonic Sum, Definitive Jux, Hail Mary Mallon) appears with a typically outstanding verse before retreating into the mist. Though it represents a tone shift for Headtrip — it’s lighter and funkier than anything he’s done before — it’s still densely packed and begging to be decoded. It’s much bigger than its 19 minutes, a richly detailed exploration of how location and identity meet.
Dash Lewis
“The album carries listeners from the dusty styles of raw East Coast rap to the fervor and existential dread of a classic tragedy. It’s enthralling as it is prescient and showcases some of the grittiest, darkest left-field underground Hip Hop of the year.” Hip Hop Golden Age
Lt Headtrip is a rapper, producer, and head of indie hip-hop label, WATKK. Headtrip cut his teeth as a performer and promoter in NYC with a DIY mantra, embracing its gritty underground. Intense performances and off-kilter yet thoughtful lyricism have garnered him respect as a diverse, passionate musician on and off stage.
His 2024 release, EMBLEMS, “is a psychedelic art rap expedition that brings together the politicized verses of MC Lt Headtrip with the industrial-edged work of producer Bloodmoney Perez.” (Bandcamp Daily). “Headtrip’s rapping ability is incredibly refined at this point in his career, and Bloodmoney is an incredible talent on full display here,” says Nick Marsh of Focus Hip Hop. “If you’re into alternative Hip Hop—anything that doesn’t sound basic and predictable—you do not want to miss this record.”
His 2023 release, Tap on the Glass, produced entirely by Australian producer DOS4GW is a monstrous concept-driven project. DOS4GW’s avant-garde drone soundscapes full of crushing, corrupted drums provide a fertile habitat for Headtrip to deliver visceral, meticulous lyrics, supported by gripping verses from E L U C I D, SKECH185, Teddy Faley, and Collasoul Structure. Sure to break through the enclosure, Tap on the Glass carries listeners from the dusty styles of raw East Coast rap to the fervor and existential dread of a classic tragedy, enthralling as it is prescient.
A sought-after artist and diligent project manager, Lt Headtrip has booked and performed with art rap legends such as Armand Hammer, Open Mike Eagle, Quelle Chris, Beans, and Mega Ran. During his time working in NYC, he collaborated with members of Backwoodz Studioz, such as billy woods and Elucid, artists on Uncommon Records, Reservoir Sound, Smoker’s Cough, and many others. He’s also shared the stage with international stars such as Biz Markie, Slick Rick, Ghostface Killah, and Action Bronson. Headtrip also tours with Midwest funk band Bassel & The Supernaturals, spreading awareness about the war in Syria, performing at jazz clubs, festivals, community centers and everything in between. Catch Headtrip on both coasts in 2024.
“There’s nobody who can rap the way Lt Headtrip does.” - Focus Hip Hop
“Lt Headtrip and DOS4GW have joined forces to make some hip hop for the days when your hope for humanity is at its lowest. It’s dark, loud, aggressive hip hop that confronts you from the first notes and then just doesn’t let up until it’s over.” - Scratched Vinyl
“… a densely packed behemoth that insists on playback at the loudest volume. Headtrip has a voice that would leave any lightweight instrumental in tatters, so accordingly, DOS4GW's beats display the weight and intensity needed to carry that vocal strength.” - The Wire Magazine (UK)
Portland’s NorthernDraw, producer and DJ, spent 2020-23 accomplishing an MA in cultural studies while crafting a multi-lingual, international album with Munich rapper LeoLex. The project, Crow Bref (2023), showcases Draw’s many skills, including sample collaging, beat production, scratching and rhyming. This comes off the heels of instrumental collaborative project with Oakland’s Joe Mousepad, Quid Pro Quo. Founder of Thirsty City, local music label and ten year deep monthly producer showcase, Draw brings his global experience back home to continue uniting like-minded souls through the avenue of sound. In his long career, he’s shared bills with prominent hip-hop and electronic artists such as Blockhead, Devonwho, Ayatollah, MNDSGN, Jel, Bad Snacks, and members of Living Legends. Instrumental future beats, classic boombap loops, dusty cassette ambience intertwined with drum and bass tempos are some of the many flavors NorthernDraw brings to dance clubs in Germany, skateparks in the PNW, hip-hop clubs in California and venues throughout the world. Draw embarks on his first East Coast this Spring.
NorthernDraw has Thirsty City, a monthly musician showcase in Portland for over a decade. “We want to thank all of the artists and attendees over the years for all the love and good vibes,” … adding that for nine years now, the series has been “coming together monthly to share our appreciation for kicks, snares, synths, and samples.”
Thirsty City: 9 Year Anniversary - Portland Mercury
