In addition to discussing my relationship with my father and how that’s shaped me, Son of the Beast is influenced by the series My Hero Academia. And because that is so, I figured that it’s only fitting to reference the main character of the series–especially since there are a few parallels between my journey and the ongoing journey of Izuku.

Both “Young Midoriya” and myself have been considered nothing special by our peers at times, we’ve both inherited a heavy burden, and we’re both constantly improving and reaching a higher potential while noting down what makes others pop. I empathize with the character’s plight and his story.

Love Me (Young Midoriya) by Speed on the Beat

It also serves as a self-given nickname to myself moving forward as an artist during the “Rejuvenation of Speed” (and, yes, I’m aware of the implications of that; I read the manga and watch the show). The second true single from Son of the Beast (read: “Revival of Speed” will still appear on SOTB, but it wasn’t a “single single”), “Love Me (Young Midoriya)” is one of those tracks where, if you’re looking for bars on top of bars, punchlines, and a declaration like this one…

…you’ll be hard-pressed to be disappointed. The album is one that’s dark at times, like MHA. However, with songs like this, it also revels in the light as well–just like MHA. SOTB is my third anime-influenced official album, coming after Death of the King (which was influenced mainly by Evangelion) and Unhinged (which was influenced mainly by Gurren Lagann and Kill La Kill). These three albums form a trilogy in their own right, as one deals with my bipolar, one deals with my mother’s death, and one (SOTB) deals with my tumultuous relationship with my father. I guess you could call this trilogy the “Acceptance Trilogy,” if we’re naming stuff. As mentioned in my piece on “Office Space,” Son of the Beast drops 10/24/18 (so a week before Halloween).

Check it out on streaming services and remember to support dope music and in all of its forms.