Among who is arguably one of the most impactful and inspiring artists of the early 2000’s emo and post hardcore surges, Geoff Rickly, the vocal and lyrical mastermind behind Thursday, one of New Jersey’s most dominant underground musical strongholds, released a brief statement with The Face concerning the state of emo rap in today’s emo culture.
Noting the success of artists in the genre such as Lil’ Peep, Rickly states he believes that the genre was about being “ground breaking”, and now that the music has started to cross into the mainstream realm through rap and hip hop music, that it will finally be able to reach the audience it always has yearned for. You can read his direct quote from his interview with The Face below.
“Emo rap has had a huge influence on how people think about emo. The fact that it’s not just a white boys’ club anymore makes it more interesting and more sustainable. Emo wanted to be the new thing, to break new ground. Now that the perspective is widening, maybe it can succeed.”
Rickly started Thursday in 1997 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, alongside local friends he had made playing shows in the area. He went on release six full length records with the group, leading to multi year hiatus, which ended in 2016. Rickly is also noted as heavily influencing My Chemical Romance, being their manager and producer during their cycle for I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, as well as being in multiple other projects, and at one point, running now-defunct label, Collect Records.
In 2019, when My Chemical Romance announced their reunion shows at The Shrine Expo Hall in California, Thursday was announced as direct support, giving back to the relationship the groups have kept for close to twenty years.
Do you agree with Rickly has to say about emo rap? Tell us what you think in the comments.
