On recordings, MC Chris seems almost impossible to take seriously. But an audience member at Tuesday’s WOW Hall show may speak otherwise. Returning from the East Coast, MC Chris hauled in a nearly sold-out audience at his pre-show concert for the “Transformers” world premiere. Together, Chris and the crowd bumped the streets of west Downtown, proving once again that witty MCs can be a menacing force in music despite comical rhymes and the musical incorporation of “nerdcore” culture.
“I think what makes me a ‘nerdy’ rapper is my subjects,” MC Chris said. “I’m not actually part of the nerdcore; it’s just a music genre that’s popped up around me.”
MC Chris’ music is something along the lines of a comic book read aloud by a prepubescent teen to the soundtrack of your favorite Sega game. His screechy vocals are perfectly akin to his passion-fueled songs describing his cult favorites and outcast attitude through light-hearted lyrics. He doesn’t beat around the bush. The rhymes are honest, regardless of the fact that they don’t favor popular fads in pop society. But still, Chris accumulates an amazing following, spanning from authentic Atari addicts to the dime-a-dozen “Star Wars” fans.
Chris uses his loose association with “nerdcore” rap to give reason to celebrate. Two years ago, Chris came to Eugene in a similar situation, performing a live music set at the WOW, then hosting his fans for the premiere of “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.”
“I try to look for nerd Christmases,” MC Chris said, “the kind of events that my audience gets really excited about and I try to be there for them.”
Chris Ward’s relentless dedication to the U.S. geek scene is no secret. Chris has always been fascinated with cult followings, from sci-fi films to old-school video games. He cemented his concern for continuing a prevalent nerd tradition when enrolling at The Chicago Institute of Art and then New York University, where he majored in screenwriting. The MC created boisterous beats with ludicrous lyrics long before he acquired an audience, which came when Adult Swim premiered on Cartoon Network in 2001.
“[Adult Swim] gave me my start,” MC Chris said. “I did cartoon voices and animation as well as music, and that’s how a good portion of my fans found out about me.”
Chris left Adult Swim in late 2004, when he wanted to focus more on the music aspect of his multimedia career. Chris re-released “Eating’s Not Cheating” on DC Flag records shortly after and soon started touring excessively, bringing his arrogant, but witty, attitude to the national spotlight for the entire world to behold. But unlike most upcoming MCs, Chris refused to be a dishonest rapper seeking diligent trends in mainstream rap.
“I want to be as real as I possibly can,” he admits. “For me, that’s being a white boy from the suburbs with some dough that liked to play video games and watch movies.”
Chris plans to tour throughout the summer, and most likely into the fall. However, as soon as his performances subside, he will begin working on a new album. Regardless of the product, it’s a sure thing that even if the music doesn’t connect, Chris’ comical lyrics will. While his lyrics always poke fun at the simpler things in life, his beat and music production is ever-changing, sampling everything from his own voice recordings to historic rock riffs, like Gary Glitter’s “Rock & Roll (Part 2)” – better known as the infamous “Hey” song sung on football Sundays.
But Chris doesn’t have a clue when his next album will be released. Even though he initiated the new album’s Internet buzz himself, his priority will remain with his booked performances. Chris wants to be completely concentrated, so he can create “the best MC Chris album yet.” Now, he won’t just be enlisting a hip-hop sound, but incorporating more beat styles, such as drum-and-bass and dancehall.
“I’m definitely trying to shoot for the most digital thing I can possibly create,” he said. “Something from the future, something totally different.”
Chris is a contagious but cocky guy, as some of his lyrics and live gestures suggest, but he has the skills to back it up. So any challenger of Chris’ authenticity better beware; he’s a hysterical, but honest, havoc on the mic and, perhaps, an even greater force in the gaming room.