CD of The Week

We were introduced to Genesis Owusu (real name:Kofi Owusu-Ansah) back in 2021 with the genre-defying debut Smiling With No Teeth. Born in Ghana and raised in Australia, Owusu melds hip-hop, indie rock, soul, and dance beats, with Owusu’s voice and POV holding it all together. On Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge, he takes things to a new level, tackling the political, social, and economic issues of the day.

What exactly is the “worldwide scourge” in the album title? According to the lead single off Redstar Wu, it’s “Hate, greed, [and] paranoia.” Released last year, the pulsating “Pirate Radio” find Genesis declaring that “Elon’s a f***in’ weirdo” and asking “Who gave these incels moolah?” and fitting in a clever Game of Thronesreference in the mile-a-minute lyrics. Then there’s the actual song “The Worldwide Scourge,” a hip-hop track that decries “Elect[ing] a Nazi sympathizer,” references the troubles in Gaza, and namechecks Mr. T’s A-Team character B.A. Baracus – there’s a lot going on here as he’s just trying to make some sense of life in 2026.

The high-energy “Stampede” takes aim at late-stage capitalism, with the directive, “Find an oligarch/Get him taxed.” There’s a moody spy theme vibe to “Falling Both Ways,” a love song with a feature from Ladyhawke as Genesis sings “Earth, heaven, hell, what’s the difference? ‘Long I get to kick it with you.” Drum-and-bass is an influence on “Life Keeps Going,” and there’s a New Order, new wave feel to “Runnin’ Outta Time.”

“Normal American Voter” is a clear highlight of Redstar Wu, a demographic whom Genesis declares have been “infected with the scourge!” which is why they are delusional and claiming “I’m about to kiss the president/I’m about to cure cancer.”

“Death Cult Zombie” is another high point, a buzzing, bass-heavy rocker taking shots at “manosphere” types who “Think you a future billionaire but your future’s being erased” and even fits in a complaint about Trump’s cameo in Home Alone 2! (“Leave me Orange Man, let me enjoy my Macaulay”).

Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge is an eclectic, genre-smashing album from a charismatic performer (check him out on YouTube, because Genesis doesn’t have any North American tour dates lined up). With his jam-packed lyrics perfectly encapsulating our overwhelming world, it’s one of the few current albums to truly capture a snapshot of this maddening time in history.