Paleface Essentials

You could be fooled into thinking that Paleface was American—his flow is that accomplished and confident. In fact, Karri Pekka Matias Miettinen hails from the small town of Järvenpää, Finland, and is just as capable of rapping in his native language as he is in English. Whichever he chooses—and both are found here—he's able to switch between an acerbic, aggressive and in-your-face approach and a more gentle, melancholy delivery. All of his raps are underpinned with a social conscience, a love for his home country and a deep understanding of hip-hop's culture and history.