Not only does Mari Boy Mula Mar have one of the most fun and unusual stage names in hip-hop, but the Milwaukee-bred artist has a refreshing flow to match his name.
I caught wind of Mari this past week when I came across the just released video for “No Auto Mar,” where Mari showcases nonchalant, almost conversational bars over a piano-looped beat that plays well with his Midwestern roots. He’s also unedited in his approach, mixing in a few voice cracks that would normally be funny, but in this case only add to his unabashed personality.
Outside of “No Auto Mar”, Mari Boy tends to turn to auto-tune to experiment with his melodies, highlighted by singles like “Owls” and “No Chill Days.” 88Nine Radio Milwaukee’s Evan Rytlewski refers to Mari Boy’s flow as “a surrealist, auto-tuned purr that swoops and hovers above each beat like one of those cloud guys from Super Mario.”
Given his penchant for auto-tune, it’s surprising how good Mari sounds when he’s not fully leaning on the vocal effect, such as in “Nomo Rounds.” I personally think his raps cut deeper when he’s not trying too hard to sing, so hopefully he continues to trust the more natural route as he builds off his most recent solo project, The Over Flow EP, released in November.
With only 2,400 monthly listeners on Spotify, here’s a friendly heads up to tap in before the Mariboy Mafia really catches some steam.
Read About It By Gerard Smith 