With his debut album Smiling with No Teeth, Kofi Owusu-Ansah shoots for the stars and attempts to leave his legacy in the world of concept albums. Tackling topics of depression and racism, Owusu-Ansah, better known as Genesis Owusu, constructs a gem with Smiling with No Teeth, using upbeat neo-soul and hip-hop sounds to mask the struggles of everyday life. Owusu explains, “The album is called Smiling with No Teeth, which essentially is pretending things are okay when they’re not… [The] topics of depression [and] racism… had to be watered down or sugarcoated just to get people to listen to what I’m saying about it.” With hits such as “Gold Chains” and “The Other Black Dog,” Owusu impressively leaves a mark on the industry while simultaneously delving into crucial topics.
Genesis Owusu performs on Friday, April 8th at DC9.
Get tickets here and listen to Smiling with No Teeth here.
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