A safe space for the uncool, made up of bedroom hip-hop, 90s R’n’B and self-mockery.
Flexing is part of the craft of rap. Marlon Nader aka Mavi Phoenix can also spit big tones. First of all, however, the Austrian settles accounts with his own toxic behavior on his third album: “Give it up for the biggest asshole in this room / He always fucks it up, yet he acts as if he’s cool.” Self-criticism and self-irony as desired one sees one another more often in hip hop. “Come and underestimate me / That shit gives me fuel,” he says later.
As a trans man who only started transitioning a few years ago, the struggle is even more real. But Phoenix doesn’t even try to be the toughest, coolest guy on BIGGEST ASSOLE IN THE ROOM. He is the “superhero” who used to be a “zero”, consumes water instead of drugs in the club.
His production sounds lo-fi and retro, the sound is melodic, playful, docks with trap and cloud rap as well as with 90s R’n’B and bedroom pop. In addition, Phoenix alternates between relaxed rap and cuddly singing, half boy band twink, half Xanax head. A bit out of date and between the chairs, but different from the others. And with a real hit candidate like “Bird’s Eye”.