Broken Pen is a Montclair, New Jersey based artist signed to Katchikali records whose music typically flows in a Sinister, sharp-witted direction and it’s what makes him so unique. His latest release, “Road To Hell” is a testament to this signature style.
We took a listen to Broken Pen’s record “Road To Hell” that had this dark, chiling, and haunting aura surrounding the vibe. Complementing the idea of “Hell” the record has this tenacious, light-hearted evil production to the song that gave me the imagery of heat and fire. (I mean just like his flow!) Broken Pen is a lyrically poetic genius! With unique metaphors and sync breath control, Broken Pen displays a unique caliber of songwriting in “Road to Hell”. What I really enjoyed about this record was how the production transported into multiple different adjustments. The longer you listen to the record, the more surprises you receive. Beginning in an up-beat, highly energetic delivery with high-intense electricity, Road to hell continues the path and transitions into a more lyrical, old-school rap style. Then, “Road to hell” production creates an interesting spin on “Lo-fi” rap. Broken Pen even begins rapping in spanish, showing off more versatility to his artistry. “Road To Hell” is one of those songs where you must expect the unexpected due to how everything transitions with one another. You never know what the next direction Broken Pen is shooting for and that’s highly special about the song.
Listen to "Road To Hell" here and get to know more about Broken Pen below!
“Broken Pen” is a super cool stage name. What’s the inspiration behind it and how did you come up with it?
It came from this jet li movie I saw called "hero" which had a character by the name of broken sword. After the scene where he catches an arrow with his hands, snaps it in half and used it to write calligraphy, plus the saying "the pen is mightier than the sword, it came together and it stuck. That, and broken sword also fought opponents with an actual broken sword. I used to battle rap a lot and I would use that as my inspiration like "if you can't defeat someone who's already broken, then rap thing might not be for you..." Seems to have worked out for the most part.
Tell us about some of the most challenging aspects you had to face in your career so far?
Paying dues is easy, but Dealing with rapidly advancing technology in order to have the chance to be heard is the tricky part.
“Road To Hell” has many transitions to the production. What were some of your inspirations and direct influences for this?
Musically, Progressive rock from the 1970's. Rap is cool, but I find a lot of rap is tragically formulaic and discourages different song structures. I wanted to make something that made the listener feel as if they're being taken on a journey through hell which explains the multiple parts in the song. So each part in the song is a stage you go through on your way to hell.
What was the major theme behind this record?
The constant cycle of escaping and approaching and how it translates to everyday life. Some tracks talk about escaping certain situations and approaching new situations. Since this album is the last project I made in new jersey, I wanted to have it reflect various things I seen in nj during the transition period.
Any exciting upcoming performances we can expect to see from Broken Pen?
I have a few surprises planned for the next few quarters, but I feel as an artist you gotta sit back and let the art speak for itself and let the people
Connect with Broken Pen on social media
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kingkatchikali
Facebook: www.facebook.com/katchikalirecordings