There’s something xenophobic about the argument that local rappers must sound local.
An American accent shouldn’t be a problem for a rapper. Name ten successful rappers who don’t have one! And saying loud poems into a microphone is a weird thing to do in the first place – no matter your sound. So why does it grate that Miracle uses Wiz Khalifa’s voice with Tinie Tempah’s flow? Perhaps because, combined with tinny pop hooks and wafer-thin “feelgood” songs like Endless Summer, a silly accent feels like just another reason to be cynical about Mainland. Disappointing stuff.
