Rapper-turned-singer-songwriter Jesse Markin is something of an anomaly in the current pop landscape in Finland. We interviewed the one-of-a-kind artist, who finds his inspiration from the record fair crates, as he is releasing his debut solo album "Folk".

Throughout this decade, the Finnish language has become more and more dominant in the Finnish music market. As far as trends go, the days of HIM and Nightwish are long gone. Ville Valo sings with the legendary domestic surf/beat band Agents. Alma and Isac Elliot have had some mainstream fame and streaming hits, but they are exceptions.

In the Finnish hip hop scene, English is even less existent. In the early 2010s, rappers Gracias and Noah Kin had their 15 minutes in the spotlight, as well as a hip hop duo named The Megaphone State. Especially the Finnish media was interested.

”No one ever asked us anything about music”, says Jesse Markin, also known as Thelo Ekow of The Megaphone State.

”It was all about us being black. Where are you really from? What do you think about the True Finns (the populist party)? 

And after a single hype cycle, the hip hop scene became all-Finnish and all-white again. 

But The Megaphone State had somewhat of a cult following, at least among hip hop puritans. Markin says that the fame was based mostly on their combination of sounding ”authentic” and ”old school” and being Finnish. Now it has been five years since the last Megaphone State release. Despite the rumors, the duo is still active. 

”We just don’t send press releases of our sabbaticals”, Markin says and laughs out loud.

Prog rock hallelujah

Along with his rap career few years ago, Markin was casted to play the role of singer Miriam Makeba’s husband in a musical. In the theatre group he met sound designer Totte Rautiainen. That relationship was a reminder for Markin that he knows how to sing and his musical taste isn’t limited to rap.

”It was not long ago when I heard that one can create playlists on Spotify. My girlfriend tells me what’s new and interesting”, Markin says.

Instead of playlists, Markin has a habit of visiting record fairs and buying records, choosing by the cover or instrumentation. He is enthusiastic about obscure progressive acts like Baby Grandmothers and Fruupp, as well as legendary rapper-producers such as The Alchemist and Yasiin Bey.

”We discussed about having flute solos and stuff, but then I was told that a six-minute-long debut single is a great way to dig one’s own grave.”

The variety of Markin’s influences can be heard on his debut solo album Folk, out now on the VILD label.

The album is produced by Totte Rautiainen, who encouraged Markin to try something new. It was supposed to be more than hour in length, but the final version is cut down to 51 minutes. 

”We discussed about having flute solos and stuff, but then I was told that a six-minute-long debut single is a great way to dig one’s own grave.”

Notwithstanding the fact, that Markin ”doesn’t consider himself a singer”, his music can easily be compared to modern-day singer-songwriters such as Moses Sumney – though Markin’s sound is more traditional and British, closer to XL Recordings’ roster than American neo soul. 

”My advantage is that I don’t know anything, but I trust my intuition”, Markin says.

”Of course I’ve known the issues I want to talk about all along.”

That makes him even more one of his kind – at least in Finland.

Universal themes

Markin grew up in Viljakkala, a former municipality of 2000 citizens, a place as white as a Finnish rural district can be.

”For example, it doesn’t feel natural for me to use N-bombs in my raps when I am the only black person in the whole village.”

”Though, it was Maya Angelou who said that the ”b” word and the ”n” word are like poison and they are still poison, whether you take them from a vial or pour them into Bavarian crystal.”

Nevertheless, Markin says that his themes are not limited to Finland.

”I don’t think I’ve heard anyone write songs about how it feels to live in 100-percent white society. It feels like most people are afraid that they might victimize themselves."

For example, on his songs he wants to question, why former slaves pray for Jesus and read The Bible just as their oppressors did. Or what are the structures that make people think of white people as the beautiful people.

”I think there are many people who share these experiences, but for some reason, no one dares to say anything”, Markin ponders.

”I don’t think I’ve heard anyone write songs about how it feels to live in 100-percent white society. It feels like most people are afraid that they might victimize themselves. But I don’t feel I have anything to lose. I have permanent job. I won’t get fired.”