Why is George Watsky's Cardboard Castles #1 on iTunes?
George Watsky's album Cardboard Castles released today shot up to #1 on iTunes, as the best-selling hip-hop album. Watsky is a San Francisco hip-hop and spoken word artist who I interviewed back on my radio show on Fresh Air: The Alternative, which was included in Oakland in Popular Memory.
Why is Watsky's album the #1 hip-hop album on iTunes, edging out Macklemore & Ryan Lewis? It has to do with the power of vulnerability. In an era of rappers boasting about their lavish lifestyles, cars, gold chains, and how many women they've been with, Watsky rejects that veneer and comes real with his spoken-word inspired tracks Tiny Glowing Screens Pt 2 and Dedicated to Christina Li. Could you imagine Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, or Gucci Mane releasing tracks like these? It's doubtful. Watsky showcases his range on Cardboard Castles, and his years of hustle have paid off--the word about his talent is out, and he debuted at #6 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Billboard charts.
You can download the album on iTunes, but I recommend purchasing the physical album which is signed by Watsky. The CD case folds out into a cardboard castle. For sample tracks from the album, check out his music video Moral of the Story and Cardboard Castles.
Watsky's album Cardboard Castles makes the perfect fort for your Napoleon Dynamite figurine.
And Watksy's album is one of the top-10 bestselling albums for all genres on iTunes on March 12, 2013: