Album Review: A DREAM FOR A DOLLAR by Clark D
Produced almost entirely by the rapper himself, Clark D’s new album is argumentative and self-incriminating, a Mattapan record that gives its best verses to everyone arguing against him.
As a rapper intent on being the last word, Clark D gives away many of them. He performed at the Boston Music Awards at Big Night Live in 2023 and released “GLAD TO BE ME” with Latrell James, the Dorchester-based rapper and producer who took home album of the year at those same awards a few months later. Raised in Mattapan, he often mentions his hometown in his lyrics as well as MATTAPARK, the name of his crew, which is included in several of them. On his latest release, A DREAM FOR A DOLLAR, he produced most of the tracks himself.
The label takes over the second verse on “MR. LABELMAN”—it ”wants his social media followers before it wants to release a song. Questions about whether he dropped out of school or has any tattoos of blood or scars from battles are asked. Talent is taken for granted and set aside. Then: “Just sign your life to me so all the playlists enjoy ya.” He inquires about the rights to his music. The label responds with a gold chain that will earn him slavery to a woman who can catch him and a Range Rover he’ll have to leave off his tax returns. If he can’t earn back the advances, it better hold out, they add. In his verse (which leads off the track), he ponders whether owning a Draco would make him Bobby Shmurda; all the kids from where he grew up are blessed with skills to the contrary of material possessions.
Novian Wright struggles financially throughout his guest verse on “PINEAPPLE EXPRESS” and spends it talking his way out of the relationship. He took her to Bojangles, but she wanted to go to Bottega. Ever since they met, he hasn’t been able to afford weed. His boy has been trying to put him onto playing cards, and he has no interest. “Maybe we should downgrade to a friendship,” he suggests—another guy can pay for her needs. Clark D’s contribution to the track keeps things light. The bag he wants to buy for her is the wrong style, since she prefers Prada over Telfar and refuses to let him pay with a credit card unless it’s one in his name. She won’t agree to go on dates in Mattapan. LIFEOFTHOM takes a different approach with “HUSTLENOMICS.” He goes on a lengthy internal rhyming run detailing when he creeps out to a spot, requires a pot to mix something in, and the creak of the door when drug dealers come by to purchase supplies. The vocal on “PUBLIC ENEMY #1” belongs to a friend who has heard enough—“We already know the world fucked up.” What concerns this friend is that he can’t take a girl out on a date.
The dope man gets the benefit of the doubt halfway through the first verse, courtesy of Clark D. For a while in “OFFERING PLATE,” he had been judging him harshly, wondering why he’s selling poison to his people. But later he can see things from his perspective and wonders if he’d do anything different. King David shows up in the same verse, making off with a woman from his number one man. Ten percent goes towards tithes, with a question as to what is being done with them. He asks God to forgive his selfish ways, remembering seeing a poor man beg for change and doing nothing to help. “I’m the problem too,” he says. He apologizes for being a fool, then asks the pastor how many souls he is out to get and about a golden statue of Donald Trump. He delivers a tough question: whether he provides safe passage to an immigrant in life.
Clark D knew someone who was trying to live right, no shortcuts. Some people get automatic points when they are fouled. The man featured on the opening verse of “877-CASH NOW” is 6’4” and had college potential, but he’s stuck selling small bags of marijuana and drinking Hennessy straight from the bottle. After you finish school, things take a downturn. After working for ten years on a big boat, you can end up back in a similar situation, watching everything slip away. “The weight of life is a feather, but it’s a thousand pounds,” he says, revealing that his friend had vices he would rather not give up. The verse concludes with words from his friend and then what happened to him. Later, Latrell James follows up, rapping that the ambulance took forever and a day to arrive, making you wonder if it’s worth pressing 911 at all.
He sees his celebrity idols come and go, wondering if the people surrounding him are friends or foes. God is good, and he tries to hold on to that. Most of “ALL THE WAY BIG” (the lone song not produced by him) deals with it. There is a small joke that gets through, saying, “You ever wonder what happened to what’s his name?” The second verse goes high above the clouds but returns with nothing better than a gold digger and a grave digger. The hook for “757” isn’t strong, stating money is on its way, and everyone is outside. Kai Banks takes it from there. He wishes he could drive his mom around in a Porsche or get his sister a Corvette and dreams of having a dollar in his pocket at all times.
Clark D’s twin is on Yin and Yang, and whenever he seeks peace, his twin brother wants to make war. He is seen shadowboxing in the song with the same title, saying they’re synchronized, then advises you would rather not find out when it’s dim. “But my shadow’s got a point, he’s tired of fake shit,” he says. He’s discussing aspects of himself in “SUPERPOWERS” too, feels uncomfortable sitting with his idols, and finds them all to be traitors. Batman’s thoughts on this whole situation may be misguided; he thinks that beheading the snake doesn’t stop it from growing back. “Clark Kent, all I’m missin’ is the cape,” he raps in “KOUPÈ TET,” describing a time when labels were laid upon him and an offer lacked M’s.
He then confesses to idealizing being a hero and everyone’s favorite person but can’t have both. Save a person from drowning, and they’ll try to drown again. The feeling of being a self-proclaimed “crown” weighs heavily on his mind. “To be a hero means to be one that remains forgotten,” he says in “I’LL BE YOUR SUPERMAN.” The second verse features him reflecting on his Blackness and the Blackness of his immigrant parents, who only knew ‘Black’ after arriving in America. Being arrested for marijuana possession can lead to slavery. It is legalized; everyone gets paid apart from you. He asks what Superman would do and whether he would fly over Haiti with any regard for it. The answer is no. He doesn’t rely on any white man to protect his children. Then he says his name out loud and swears to kill this shit.
Great (★★★★☆)
Favorite Track(s): “877-CASH NOW,” “OFFERING PLATE,” “I’LL BE YOUR SUPERMAN”