Epiphany - 5 Dollas

“If you want to get rich, don’t become a musician,” is a saying that comes up repeatedly in DJBooth interviews, but sometimes words aren’t quite enough to drive the point home. If you’re a visual learner, this video, created by Booth newcomer Epiphany, should give you an idea of just how glamorous the life of a rapper on the come-up really is. The struggle to sell CDs to cash-strapped passers-by may well have inspired this mixtape cut, which finds the Little Rock rapper pooling his spare change with beatsmith Ferocious to come up with a whopping 5 Dollas. Despite being damned near broke, Piph clearly has the skills to pay the bills, as do his collaborators. Ferocious serves up a bouncy beat fueled by swung percussion and bar room piano as the emcee spits agile, engaging verses brimming with recession-friendly swagger, and fellow Ark. native Gina Gee ties it all together with a infectious sung hook. Will Piph’s talent ultimately translate to big bucks? Only time will tell. Those who like what they’re hearing can expect more hip-hop gold in October, when the artist kicks off his Respect mixtape series.