Deniro Farrar may not hit the Billboard Hot 100 with his releases, but he’s built a strong cult following with his charismatic, raspy delivery and socio-political subject matter. With his latest release Guilty Until Proven Innocent, Farrar tackles the heavy topic of mass incarceration. It’s a topic close to his heart, as his brother Tune is currently serving time for attempted murder.
The short EP sacrifices length for focus. The six track project follows the journey a young person goes through, from their aspirations of escaping the hood to the realities of making ends meet in a place without opportunity, and the seemingly inevitable trip to the penitentiary. The production consists mainly of trap-tinged instrumentals that live on the low end of the sonic register, complementing Farrar’s gruff growl, but there’s enough variety to keep things fresh, and his lyricism is as incisive as ever.