Lemaire really impressed me a few months ago with his relatable single “Ford Laser”. He’s dishing out more rhymes with an Aussie flavour in his new EP What Did You Expect?
In truth, if you’ve listened to “Ford Laser”, you know exactly what to expect from this EP. And it’s fabulous. The rap scene is full of posers, up-and-comers who believe in faking it until they make it and established artists keen to flaunt their wealth. But you’ll never catch Lemaire being anything other than authentic. He celebrates his “shitbox” Ford Laser. “Shiraz” tells us he’d rather sip on an Aussie red than Cristal. There’s no coincidence that “Be Myself”, a collaboration with BOY SODA, sits square in the middle of this EP, anchoring it with its theme of self-acceptance. Lemaire knows where he came from. Rather than avoiding Australianisms that might not translate to a global audience, he’s happy to namecheck everything from that iconic car to Queensland’s premier. These are songs written with tongue planted firmly in cheek. International music fans might not quite catch or understand the humour, but as an Aussie listener, I had a blast with these songs.
What Did You Expect? didn’t just meet my expectations, but exceeded them. This collection of songs is so much fun. Lemaire represents the new breed of Aussie rappers well. Like Illy and Baker Boy, he’s creating music that’s so positive and proudly rooted in our culture. With his first EP, Lemaire shows us who he is and that he’s got a bright future ahead.
Images used with permission from GYRO PR