Southwest Detroit born and raised MC DPress drops his debut album today. The Lions' Den is the official project for the 20-yr-old artist and member of Detroit’s Stereo Boyz crew who has released several compilation albums over the past couple of years.

The tracks were inspired during a period of recovery from a series of personal and psychological setbacks after dropping out at the 9th grade when school failed him. Making music through a period of depression and isolation came to form a healing process of “writing myself I guess back to life.” Evident on “Chargin’ Up” (“nah, we don’t need elitists/we some revolutionary educated pissed-off leaders”).

Rhymes provoke thought and action; some like pages from a reporter’s notebook, recording fragments of everyday life and trying to capture the truth, others taking a stand—with riffs on immigration, the school system, prison industry, and his hometown Detroit, telling true stories of “the place where the people remain hungry/stuff you can’t imagine /fuck if you find it funny.” You also get some sharp swords and strong bars from the young lyricist who says he’s “something like your average rapper/only difference is I show damage after.”

Beats on The Lions' Den were produced by local and national talent.

Available digitally today and in hard copy from June 18—Dpress.bandcamp.com