Art: Dan Lish

While Mr. Lif has put in his time on the hip hop circuits, rapping circles around most cats, L’Orange is quickly gaining ground in terms of respect as a producer. The music range that L’Orange is capable of is apparent in his albums–solo instrumental ones as well as full projects with emcees like Kool Keith and Jeremiah Jae. Together, Mr. Lif and L’Orange will be releasing a concept album through Adult Swim and Mello Music Group which will depict a dystopian future where “books are all burned, the vinyl has been melted, and the remaining art catapulted over the city walls.” Wyatt Cenac of The Daily Show narrates as Mr. Lif leads the survivors to brighter days.

Below is the final track on the album and a fable that many should adhere to. But before I get too deep into it, I’ll let Mr. Lif and L’Orange explain the inception of the track and its significance.

Mass Appeal: For those a little slow on the uptake, can you break down this extended metaphor?

Mr. Lif: This is a tale about karma striking down an evil ruler.

L’Orange: I see this as the end of the concept of the album. It’s the hubris of the ruling class ending up being his downfall. The album revolves around a system of society based on prohibiting art and culture and this track is the end of that reign. I view this song as a metaphorical ending to the society and I love the irony of his downfall being so romanticized and beautiful. It solidifies the point of the album–the culture and art that were trying to be banned occur naturally in arcs of life.

Who is the ruler in this song?

Mr. Lif: The ruler is a fictional character. His life is purely based on greed and conquest with no regard for those who suffer the consequences of his decisions.

Who are the gods breaking down his kingdom?

Mr. Lif: I’ve always been a fan of Greek mythology (in which there’s an individual god for various aspects of life). In the case of this story, I envisioned a council of gods who were offended by the King’s misuse of power. They deemed it necessary to devise a plan to ultimately humble him.

At the end, Mr. Lif, you state that the king gets lost in the mirage of his reprieve. So he viewed his disappearing kingdom as a break from his harrowing reign?

Mr. Lif: By verse 3, the kingdom has completely evaporated. All of the inhabitants of his kingdom have already fled and the king is left by himself. On the brink of going mad, he looks to the skies and asks why this has happened. He receives no response and is left to ponder the cause of his demise for an eternity. When I say “he got lost in a mirage of his reprieve,” I am indicating that his suffering was so relentless that his mind starts to conjure up a false scenario in which he is given a break from his state of torture. He spirals through this frame of mind endlessly and falls short of any levels of personal growth that would urge the gods to grant him pardon.

What is the lesson to be learned at the end of the day?

Mr. Lif: Don’t be a dick. Karma takes notes.

L’Orange: I think the lesson to be learned from this album is that, especially as an artist, it’s important to remember that your life is art in itself, and paying attention and noticing the details is what makes you unique. Art isn’t always labeled or hung for display.

Was this beat crafted for this song in specific or Mr. Lif happened to come up with the theme after hearing the beat?

Mr. Lif: The instrumental inspired these lyrics. I’m interpreting what the beat says anytime I write a song.

L’Orange: This was a beat that I made for Lif on this project. When I made it, I didn’t have an idea or concept in mind. Our process was basically, I make the musical structure of the album, we discuss the overall theme of the story, Mr. Lif creates the details, then I try to make everything flow well. Lif can offer far more insight into the detail of each track.

Why did you choose to make this the last track on the project? How does it fit into the rest of the album?

Mr. Lif: This song definitely has a finality to it. In a world where culture has been outlawed, closing the album with the downfall of a heavy handed ruler seems appropriate.

L’Orange: This felt like a solidified ending to the album immediately. It’s conceptually a downfall and that’s how this surreal story of oppression should end.

The Life & Death of Scenery will be available for free on Adult Swim’s website (10/7). The extended version which will have two extra tracks will be available on 10/14 via Mello Music Group. You can pre-order the CD and vinyl for your personal collection.