Prettifun. You may know him as a producer, featured on tracks such as “Miley Cirus” and “Pizzatime” by Che. What you may not know, however, is his remarkable rapping discography. Having an album entirely produced by Hitec (a versatile producer for the likes of Che, Slump6s, Izaya Tiji, and heygwuapo), Prettifun has an impressive repertoire which has flown under the radar for the past three years as the new wave of the underground has grown. Finally, after his unique sounds were placed in front of Che’s audience, Prettifun started to gain the attention of like-minded music enjoyers, bringing us the prequel to Funhouse: Pretti.
Now that I’ve set the stage with a very necessary, yet brief, intro to Prettifun’s come up, I believe you might be ready to appreciate the auditory masterpiece that is Funhouse. The inspiration behind Funhouse is rooted in Mike Taylor’s strange relationship with the attention he received following the release of Pretti. Feeling like he constantly has to be an entertainer, he feels as though he’s a clown to his fanbase, performing in a funhouse.
With tracks such as “Z&S”, “Rolled1”, “Bbyangl”, “Move Smartr”, “Achieve it”, and “Miss U Angie” (to name a few), this album is sure to fulfill all your ears needs while simultaneously opening your eyes to the beautiful possibilities this new age of music brings. While Prettifun is an accomplished and strong producer, he leans on the euphoric melodies of Ginseng, MISOGI (He actually produced the newest Ken Carson single, “delusional”), grassarrows, Lucid740, and legion (Heavy contributor of Osamasons, Flexx Musik). Many of these producers work closely together, as you’ll notice their styles are very similar. Not only do they pay close attention to detail in their intricate melodies, but create bounces in their beats that will leave your face with an enraptured expression, your speakers blown out, and your grandparents scared for their life.
What makes this album so refreshing is its stark contrast to the current underground scene. With aesthetics such as Osamason, Nettspend, Ken Carson, and Izaya Tiji, this scene has a very dark atmosphere: depression, heartbreak, drugs, and other self-destructive themes have been bringing listeners down for all too long. The childlike art and vibe of Prettifun’s music is very intentional, as Mike Taylor states in an interview with music journalist 42CEO. Prettifun draws a lot of design inspiration from friends in the industry, but perhaps his biggest influence is his toddler niece, who has been critically acclaimed for her unique and personal artistic expressions.
Funhouse is the biggest wave Prettifun has made in his career, which is what gives this album substance in the grand scheme of the music scene. Not because you should care about Prettifun, but because I believe this album, and those to follow, will bring about the same seismic shift that the Opium style brought us from 2020 through today. If you only have 43 minutes and 56 seconds this weekend to do whatever you want, I strongly encourage you to listen to this album. Take a chance on the future of your auditory pleasures; open your ears and mind to the melodic enigma of Prettifun’s artistry.