we are the karma kids Presents: Blastmaster Baker's New Album Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower (Children's City Dump)
Nick Baker is a Bushwick-based emcee, producer, and Punk/Hardcore frontman for Children's City Dump (C.C.D.) Nick actively records and releases his own music as Blastmaster Baker FKA simply Baker. Baker has now joined forces with Lt Headtrip's crew/label, we are the karma kids (WATKK) to let loose his first proper full-length, Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower. It's the proper album-length follow-up to Blastmaster Baker's self-released 2013 debut, BAKED. To be completely honest, I've heard Blastmaster Baker's name mentioned around "Rap" Twitter and Punk/Hardcore circles for quite a few years now, although, this is the first time I've actually heard his music. Oddly enough, Blastmaster Baker & Lt Headtrip are both Ohio-born NYC transplants and it appears as though Headtrip has taken Baker "under his wing," so to say. From my perspective, at least, Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower seems to have been created in a manner similar to OLD SELF's 2018 WATKK-released album, Word Art Gallery.
Not entirely unlike Word Art Gallery, Headtrip produced six of Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower's 11 tracks, provided additional vocals for "Mosquitoes," did the cassette/CD packaging layout, and recorded, mixed, and executive engineered the album at Karma Kids Studios, Karmastoria. In addition to Lt Headtrip, Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower also, features vocal assists from P.T. Burnem, SKECH185, and E. Grizzly, as well as scratches by DJ Samurai Banana, instrumental assists from Children's City Dump, and additional production work from P.T. Burnem. "C.C.D. kicks in the door on "Mosquitoes" with a fast-paced, gritty Punk Rock ripper, complete with buzzsaw guitar, and jackhammer drums reminiscent of old school NYHC, setting the stage for their two appearances in the album's second half," details karma kids' album press release. Overall, Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower is a ridiculously awesome genre-eschewing mix of Hip-Hop, Punk, Hardcore, and even Folk that I would, personally, best describe as something to the effect of DMX meets The Process of Wedding Out/instrumental-era Black Flag.
"Lawn Jobs" is the first single pulled from Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower, as well as Blastmaster Baker's first proper music video. Said music video was directed by frequent collaborator and WATKK affiliate Mike Petrow AKA Duncecap and, actually, takes place in Baker's hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, where they filmed on his grandmother's property. "She still lives the house that her husband built in the 50's before sending back to Ukraine for his family escaping a war-trodden Europe and still owns the riding lawnmower that Baker and his brothers used to cut their grass when they were younger," explains the album's press release. Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower is now available to stream or purchase from we are the karma kids' Bandcamp page. A limited run of CD's and cassette tapes, both featuring unique album artwork are also, available to purchase while supplies last. Blastmaster Baker, Children's City Dump, Van Goose, karma kids, SKECH185 & FAWWN will be appearing at Blastmaster Baker vs. The Human Being Lawnmower's Album Release Show on Saturday, January 19th at Gold Sounds in Bushwick, NY to celebrate the album's release with additional details listed below.
