Dylan Owen doesn't just release a new song with his latest single, "The National Parks," but he calls to arms. This is no mere conscious hip-hop track. It's an anthemic, emotionally taut journey that encapsulates the spirit of exploration, the ache of environmental loss, and the urgency of standing up. It's the third single off his "DO WHAT YOU DO" mixtape and possibly his strongest yet.
Known for marrying poetry to passion, Dylan Owen wrestles the heart out of the American landscape in this lyrical road trip through the country's embattled National Parks. Drawing on his hike-heavy wanderings, Owen leverages his storytelling skill to transmute quiet moments in the wild into punchy, introspective verses. The production plays to alternative and pop rap textures, and the music toggles a balance of epic cinematic beats and a raw, intimate delivery that sounds as if he is reading from pages of his personal travel journal.
Owen ups the stake, quite literally, and not only directs streaming profits but also doubles them to protect the very places that inspired the song in the first place. At a time when activism can seem performative, this move grounds "The National Parks" in concrete action and makes the point that hip-hop can be both art and activism.
Dylan Owen may be from a small town in New York, but his voice is far from muted. With his off-kilter take on hip-hop, he gives us a personal love letter to the natural world that is intimate and majestic. Amid the tumult, "The National Parks" feels like a whiff of fresh mountain air, contemplative, pressing, and stunningly alive, only a log removed from the trunk. Dylan Owen just blazed a new trail for people who care about conscious music and believe that art can be used to create positive change.
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