Ralph Ellison once observed that “in the swift change of American society in which the meanings of one’s origins are so quickly lost, one of the chief values of living with music lies in its power to give us an orientation in time.” People all throughout the world today live and die by hip hop; it is truly the music of the late 20th and early 21st century. All it takes is a brief survey of this modern musical landscape to reveal the urgency of the times in which we live, the contradictions and injustices that continue to scar our national identity, and the problems today’s youth will inherit the day after tomorrow. As dark as the times are in which we live, Ellison also reminds us that music, “in the swift whirl of time…is a constant, reminding us of what we were and of that toward which we aspire.” Enter Enormus, aka Norman Golden II. Most likely, you already know him. Before he was old enough to push a whip, Enormus had already starred in several movies and television shows, including Cop and a Half, True Colors, and Moby Dick. He knew from a young age that entertainment was the medium by which he was going to leave his mark on this world; however, his aspirations were not confined to fame and fortune. Though not shunning the spotlight an acting career would shine upon his young life, Enormus determined that he would use whatever influence he acquired through his career to fight against the racial inequality, social injustice and violence that persist without pause in this world. Somewhere along the way, his love for and desire to create music began to emerge at the center of his life. Tired of just reading other people’s scripts, Enormus began to write his own. To the outside world, he may have appeared MIA. What he was in fact doing was looking to the world as a mirror, studying the art of hip-hop, waiting for the right moment to plant the seeds of his thought so that our children and grandchildren might have some shade to joyfully live their lives under in the future. That time is now. His first EP Seeds has arrived and it only takes a few seconds of basking in the prelude of this short-player to know that Enormus doesn’t intend to coast into the game on the winds of previous successes. A distinct voice that the world shall soon know has just been raised ya’ll. When asked about the vision behind Seeds, Enormus says, “The thing about hip hop today is that everyone tries to box emcees up. You would think we’re living in perpetual Christmas with all the paper that’s beings used to wrap rappers up. The common perception is that Kanye is the backpack rapper, Common is that Conscious Rapper, you got your Fifty’s and Jeezy’s, your coke and hustle rappers, you know what I mean? Basically, what I’m saying as Enormus is no, don’t do that. Out of force of habit you may try to box me up, but I guarantee you right now that you will fail.” Listening to Seeds definitely attests to the difficulty of sticking a label either on his introspective lyrics or the soulful musical backdrops upon which they fly. Seeds puts you in the zone immediately with an effortless, post-Native Tongues era groove. But as the EP matures, one’s expectations for what is about to come out of the speakers are constantly defied: this handful of eight bountiful seeds is simultaneously sincere but never preachy, cross over ready yet ready for real heads, subtle and uplifting, arms open and inwardly reflective. This is all possible because Enormus is just that: larger than life, immensely talented and ready to rip stages internationally. Concluding his thoughts about the sub-categories we have frozen today’s emcees within, he says, “I intend to encompass all of these elements, because every last one of them are a part of life. Enormus means everything, it means all-encompassing. Though the industry may try to limit or label me, I will always be the master of all the different elements of life. With Seeds, I am cultivating the earth for the growth of something massive, something truly enormous.” As the 21st century shall soon witness, the music of Enormus reminds us of what we were and that towards which we aspire. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what you might call music for the ages.