STL Rapper Gets Nod from MTV, Which Still Does Music Sometimes Apparently

MTV, a television channel best-known for its programs about grossly spoiled children and fabricated identities and grotesquely irresponsible parenting, published a list Friday entitled "10 Chill Artists That Will Make Your January Less Dry," proving — to the shock of many — that the station actually apparently does still focus on music sometimes.

Better still, that list includes pinkcaravan!, a St. Louis artist who more than deserves the attention. The article highlights the rapper's video for "david was his name." It's a song from her debut EP, a very sad happy birthday, released early last year.

Sydney Gore writes:

Last year, this St. Louis-based rapper released an impressive debut EP titled a very sad happy birthday. Her rhymes are like a reel from your subconscious rolling out while chill music plays in the background.

That certainly sounds like a compliment! As music is, at best, MTV's secondary function, we'll go ahead and add to that and say the track is a spacey, low-key affair that leans heavily on a jazzy horn-based production and pinkcaravan!'s relaxed, low-stakes delivery. "Chill" it most certainly is, but it is also a remarkably strong piece of artistry with a well-crafted and unique sound.

"I'd like to think of the EP as a dark children's book," pinkcaravan! told Pigeons and Planes in an October interview. "It's innocent, dark and heavy hearted. Getting older is weird. I hate it. Every birthday I would feel down because I haven't accomplished what I wanted to. The happy part about the birthday is you have another day. You have another chance to turn it all around."

Check out the full EP on pinkcaravan!'s Soundcloud page and watch the video for "david was his name" below: