Marc the Prophet is a Florida-based Soundcloud rapper that I was originally introduced to in April of 2017 with his SpongeBob-inspired track “Bikini Bottoms”. The track served as an excellent showcase of the potential Marc had when it came to interesting writing and flow as he effortlessly raps over bombastic bass bumps and sporadic high hats. Marc also possesses a unique voice that I believe is difficult to compare to any other artist right now and has served him especially well on this track. The production, while sounding unmistakably indie, was unique in its presentation and the clever utilization of the SpongeBob sample was an excellent way to hook listeners in through the pull of nostalgia and familiarity.
What I feel sets Marc apart from other artists in today’s vast landscape of music is his uniqueness and versatility. As stated before, Marc’s voice is both intense and concise leading to powerful bar deliveries that rival those of the late XXXTentacion. However, he also has a softer singing voice that he utilizes to near perfection in a plethora of his choruses and harmonies. His sound gives me vibes of Travis $cott mixed with Lil Uzi Vert, with maybe a dash of Denzel Curry. It really doesn’t compare to anything I have listened to in recent years and I find his sound to be a refreshing breath of fresh air in a landscape oversaturated with over-the-top autotune and generic production choices.
Marc has released a vast number of projects consisting of a variety of singles, an EP and one album. The album, titled PROPHET!, is what I currently believe to be the best work he has released to date. This isn’t to say that his more recent releases were lackluster, or even bad. I actually find myself enjoying a vast majority of his projects and I can hear his improvements with each release.
What grips me about PROPHET! is the overall cohesiveness of the tracklist and the raw musical talent on display. This album contains songs of varying themes ranging from lyrical onslaughts, the occasional introspective track, and a few party bangers. It is extremely versatile for consisting of only eight tracks and is something I find myself going back to consistently.
Prophet’s EP Life’s a Glitch! is a sci-fi themed project consisting of five tracks that all have a nice uniformity to them. One of the best qualities about this project is how well the tracks coincide with the presented theme. Even the cover artwork, showing a pixelated Marc being sucked into his computer screen, helps to push the theme, adding to the very well-assembled and professional-feeling package.
Part of Marc’s appeal is his acceptance of himself as he addresses and owns the claim that he is considered a nerd to some circles. The track “Geek” off of Life’s a Glitch! touches on this as he brags about his rise to stardom. In the chorus of this track, Marc raps “Waking up, counting beats like a geek. Said I’m a dork now they all in love with me…” shows not only this self-awareness but also incorporates braggadocio into something that may otherwise not be considered cool. This isn’t unique to “Geek”, as many of his tracks contain references to different anime that aren’t just haphazardly thrown in for the sake of a reference. Each bar he writes, while not entirely on the level of lyrical greats like Kendrick or Cole, contains enough substance and thought that utilizes these references in clever ways.
Overall, what I feel makes Marc deserving of my first "Artist Spotlight" is his obvious hunger for success and the attitude he puts into his work. From following him on Twitter for several years, I can tell he is dedicated to his craft and will stop at nothing to succeed. Based on the interactions I’ve had with him, he seems like a genuine person who focuses on making his passion into his livelihood and I have nothing but respect for that. The reason I am so eager to cosign him is that I feel that one day his career will take him to the heights that he is so eagerly trying to reach. I plan to be there when that day comes, and I hope you will join me in helping to make his dream a reality.
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*The views expressed in this article are solely my own and are not sponsored by the aforementioned artist*
Written By: Michael Miserendino
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