An0maly: Political Voice Of A Generation?
From humble upbringings in New Jersey to a critically acclaimed rapper and political activist, AJ Faleski has had an interesting life. Throughout his childhood, he always had a love for poetry and the spoken word.
“I’ve loved rhyming poetry as a kid,” Faleski said. However, he started making music in high school, and says he has always had a message in his music.
“I started paying attention to things like privatized prison & the prison industry as early as high school,” says Faleski, who is now 27. “And I’ve always had a very socially aware message in music since 2008.”
Now, Faleski is known by a different name- An0maly. He started paying real attention to politics in this election cycle, and uses his talents as a rapper to bring political discussion into the limelight. Faleski was a Bernie Sanders supporter, and did not support Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump during the election cycle.
His rise to the limelight started with a political song- the Bernie Sanders Trap Anthem. With over 20 million plays, it’s his biggest song to date. And he’s not stopping there. Recently, he’s written songs about the protests of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the stigma behind talking about politics. “If sports & reality shows are acceptable conversation, politics & social issues shouldn’t be taboo,” Faleski says.
Faleski also says that even though he wants people to change the world, the best advice is to change yourself first. “Be the change you want to see & be honest with yourself before you start pointing the finger,” Faleski says. “After that, [speaking out about injustices] is important.” He also said that he wants people to understand that he puts out happiness, wisdom, knowledge, and love into his music.