Chicago’s L.A. VanGogh is a rapper. But he’s also a lot more: a songwriter, a vocalist, a producer. An all-around shpeshftr, he’s a creative mosaic whose singular form has now seemed to outgrow itself. And from that understanding of his boundless artistry, starts to make sense his unfolding project, shpeshftr vol. 1: Force of Gravity. Through it, in once-a-week varietals, VanGogh is releasing audiovisuals conceptions of various artistic styles portrayed by different characters. Two weeks in, one understands his need for such range.

 

First came the Shpeshftr titular piece – an enigmatic digitalization of future hip-hop that speaks of its form fluid identity – where a mix of dynamic, thought-provoking lyricism and an addicting, melodic chorus puts on display VanGogh’s long-established adeptness at creating outside of any preconceived hip-hop box.

 

Second came In a Mood – an R&B adjacent piece bleeding of high emotion, deep bass, and a watery breakdown reminiscent of the Golden Era hits. A stark change of pace from shpeshftr’s predecessing cut, In a Mood leaves us in a place of curiosity heading into the emerging album’s third inclusion.

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Third came TRIP - a fast-paced, lyrically-endowed explosion.

 

Next comes… It’s anyone’s guess, honestly. L.A. VanGogh is one of the least apologetic creative powerhouses we know, and this concept is so custom-fit for his artistry to flow that there’s a good chance it could even change directions – shift shape – from where he originally saw it heading.