Originally Published in Metro Times
EAPro artist emcee Khary WAE Frazier brings activism to his music, but don’t say he’s just ‘pro-black’

“Working at Excellence” once defined the initials in Khary “WAE” Frazier’s name. He used to tell folks this meaning more often back when he simply called himself “WAE.” And even though this worldview could be called “inspirational,” he admits that, in the world of hip-hop, it can get corny.

Nowadays, he just lives the philosophy. It describes the way Frazier approaches his song lyrics and music. And the acronym, he now says, connotes his tendency to approach his music “eight ways.” Get it? WAE? “Way”?

All puns aside, Frazier — Detroit’s answer to a ’90s-era Ice Cube — is raw enough for the streets but thoughtful enough for fans of substantive hip-hop music. His is a forward-thinking steeze but with a very contemporary feel. It’s not as much pulpit-preachy as it is corner-store concentric. And he does it all by design. [Read more...]