Clark County Debut EP "The Tonight Show"

At the beginning of March, local artist ¢lark ¢ounty came out swinging with his EP release The Tonight Show, available on all platforms. Smooth, polished, and real - it’s an impressive first release sonically that hands off between introspective looks into the city and more universal personal truths.

This debut is ¢lark ¢ounty’s first official release as well as his introduction to the music scene. He linked with producer Theonlyejose through Twitter, who produced all of the beats for the EP with the exception of the intro track “Higher Places.” The intro also features Billy, who has previously released a song featuring ¢lark ¢ounty that gathered some buzz on campus.

“For me, coming into the music scene has been like jumping out of an airplane. Questioning if I’ll even land sometimes or if the chute will pull. I don’t have the connections here like I wish I did, so I’m very independent with my work. I feel alone in my lane since the rap game’s sound has been filled with more trends and catchy tunes, but that’s cool because I’m a breath of unsaturated air,” said ¢lark ¢ounty.

In name and content, Clarke County (and home of Athens) is very much front and center in the artist’s work. The last track, “Black Ice,” is a particularly hard-hitting social commentary that weaves news anchor style skits with old school samples and flowing bars.

“With everything I do, and everything I embody in my music, I represent two things: myself and the city. My last name is Clark, so I decided to leave the ‘e’ off. This city has produced a lot of survivors, warriors, and diamonds in the rough. The black community’s plight is very real here, just like you’d see anywhere else on the news,” said ¢lark ¢ounty. “My purpose is to show the many lights of my city, the dark too. There’s a reason I don’t claim the ‘A’ word. I don’t want you to care about this place because we have a football team. I’ve witnessed way too much to let my side of town be ignored. I also have a purpose to spread love, community, and growth. I used to be that kid in the city who felt ignored by society. I want everyone else to know I see them, and others will too.”

With the intent of announcing himself as an artist and where he comes from, ¢lark ¢ounty put a spotlight on himself with this EP. He’s currently working on his first album that will drop closer to the end of the year, and visuals for The Tonight Show are also on the way.

In the meantime, be sure to listen to The Tonight Show streaming on all platforms (Spotify link, Apple Music link) and follow ¢lark ¢ounty on Instagram and Twitter.