If the Internet buzz is accurate, seventh place isn’t so bad. Just ask the Astronomical Kid, aka Astro, the X-Factor’s 15-year-old hip-hop prodigy.
In my opinion Astro could rap circles around most of today’s emcees (don’t take my word for it, check him out). He was voted off the X-Factor December 1, and By December 2, there were already rumors that he was signed to Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s record label.
I remember Astro’s first performance on the show. He auditioned with an original song – “Stop Lookin’ at My Mom.”
While I definitely appreciated the song, I thought at the time that there was no way I could root for a rapper in a singing competition.
Now, I love hip-hop and always will. I just didn’t think he belonged.
I was wrong.
After a couple of weeks I was hooked. Astro’s performance was the best part of most shows – highlighted by his nonstop energy and intelligent lyricism. His bars were not full of simple monosyllabic rhymes one would expect from a teenager. Just look at his performance during Michael Jackson Week, in which he bounces effortlessly over “Black or White.”
Someone that young who’s able to write something that mature and insightful is special, no matter the genre.
Each week ‘Stro answered the call, taking a rock or pop song, and writing his own lyrics to the beat like it was just another track on an Astro mix tape. (I’m sure this is already in the works. If not, the suits at X-Factor would be making their second biggest mistake next to Steve Jones.)
Astro did have one breakdown, performing halfheartedly during his first go-round in the bottom two. He confessed he didn’t want to perform for people who did not want to see him, and eventually, he broke into tears. Astro survived the night, though, and came back stronger the next week with an apologetic remix of Jay-Z’s “Show Me What You Got.”
So even if you’re not a fan of the X-Factor, if the rumors are true, I’m confident you’ll learn to appreciate the talents of the Astronomical Kid.
And other rappers better step their games up. Or the teen prince of X-Factor will be crowned the king while they’re stuck staring at his mom.