Hipster Hip Hop

The Cool Kids - Black Mags


The Cool Kids - 88

I instinctively feel that there's something not quite right about it. I feel like it's a smug 'I understand how this works and I can use it' sort of approach to hip hop. Still, it is sort of catchy. I'm really not down with that retro fashion stuff though.

What do we think?

Bobby Digital - You Cant Stop Me Now (video)

Wu-Tang created a mythology. I think that's what makes their stuff still worth checking. That combination of kung-Fu, chess, sci-fi and street makes it so colourful and fun to listen to. Like Kool Keith.

A listen through the Uno Mas & Cookbook tape

This was inspired by Suds who read the blog the other day and didn't get it. I don't know that this will make it any easier but I thought I'd listen through the Uno Mas and Cookbook mixtape I posted on Monday and write up some stuff to explain how I hear it. It's probably best read while listening to the mixtape.

Track 1: Championship Ring ft. Vice Versa
Nice use of the sample. The piano line that kicks in at about 36 seconds provides a cute highlight.
The beat gets flipped for the second verse (Vice Versa). It's a more classic, head-nodding hip hop beat. It reminds me of the Naughty by Nature video for Holiday where they flip another beat partway through (@ 1:52). Awesome.
Uno Mas has an understated, relaxed flow. I think it works here but it can be boring. Method Man can be a bit of an offender in that regard.
Golf metaphors, not commonplace for hip hop but I like the change-up. There's heaps of references, golf, NFL, Legends of the Fall...
The last verse has that same, flipped beat from the 2nd verse. Uno Mas closes it out strong. A good last verse can make a song. I don't know anyone who closes out a song better than GZA like on Protect Ya Neck.
"Because for me victory is when I move the crowd" is a reference to the classic 'Eric B. is President' by Eric B and Rakim where Rakim raps "To me MC means move the crowd".

Track 2: The Reason Why ft. Raquel
Synth, boppy beat not so cool. A bit far down the Kanye Flashing Lights/The Good Life sort of path.
"Tell me what the heck am I supposed to do?" (@ 1:41) is a reference to KRS One and his song 'Hip Hop Knowledge' off The Sneak Attack where he's justifying himself for responding to disses after campaigning for peace in hip hop.
The reason why they keep rapping even though they don't have heaps of fame and money - the fans. I guess if I was a local and saw their shows I'd appreciate it but for-the-fans songs don't quite hit the spot for me.

Track 3: Showtime ft. DJ Wise
A bit more upbeat which I like, a bit more of an old school flavour. The guitar hit isn't my thing really.
I like a good sampled chorus, I always try to pick where samples come from. I don't recognise much from this one except Pigeon John (once from LA Symphony) saying "and my man Uno Mas" which is from an old song by LA Symphony called 'San Diego'.
"Time for some action" (@ 1:59) is a reference to 'Time 4 Sum Aksion' off Redman's first album Whut? Thee Album or to the Cypress Hill song 'How I Could Just Kill a Man' which Redman samples.
A song that closes with scratching is a rarity these days. I like it.

Track 4: Monie Love ft. Joey the Jerk
I like a good singing sample as a hip hop chorus. The Hilltop Hoods exploited that with the Nosebleed Section a few years ago but there are heaps. I posted one by RZA earlier this week.
It's a concept song. Money is personified as a girl and the song is about the troubled relationship they have with her.
"Make money make money" and "Take money, take money" in the chorus might be a reference to an Outsidaz song unsurprisingly called "Money, Money, Money" from their album The Bricks. I think there's another song (by Nas?) which might be a more direct link but can't think of it now.
The next chorus has "The real...hip hop" which might be from a particular song but I think is just a comment on the relationship between hip hop and money. It is pretty odd for a rapper to talk about how loving money might not be the best thing.
"You and me go back like Adam and Eve" and "I'm giving you love and you're giving me pain, and a tainted way of looking at every situation" stand out from the last verse.

Track 5: In 'n' Out
I don't usually dig the synth stuff but this is pretty upbeat and I like that rolling synth hit on the off beats.
"Hit the ground running
Hit your town gunning
Give you soundbombing
You never seen us coming"
These intro lines work. They lyrics aren't amazing but the sound just works.
Uno Mas and Cookbook trade lines which I dig. It can be great when crews do that sort of thing. The two best examples of this for my money involve the Outsidaz. One on a song called 'Cowboys' by the Fugees and another on The Last Word on Rah Digga's album Dirty Harriet.

Track 6: Throwback
There's something about this track that I'm not totally into. I think it's too laid back for me.
The "Yiggidy yes, knocker
The shiggedy show stopper
I riggedy rock the mic
and choke you out like Chewbacca" (@ 0:51) is a reference to DAS EFX who had that unique flow (see their song 'Mic Checka').
"Like a hippopotamus this beat is prosperous" wtf? That's an awful line.
Definitely the weakest song on the tape.

Track 7: Let it Go
More upbeat again, more synth, still, I like.
"Ready or not" @ 54 seconds is a reference to Ready or Not by the Fugees.
"Brother beleeeeeeeive me" the delivery not the words @ 1:22 and 1:26 is referencing something but I can't quite remember what.
Chorus uses a pretty classic pattern. Busta uses it on the hook of a song called 'I.C. Y'all' by De La Soul and also Body Rock off Busta's When Disaster Strikes album.
Nice to hear some scratching. They obviously like djing and I like that. It's generally pretty neglected these days.

Xzibit - Dying to Live

Apparently this is off the X-Files: I Want to Believe soundtrack. X also appears in the movie so it's sure to be a top quality movie, uncompromising in it's pursuit of excellence in acting. The song is very much in the tradition of Diddy's 'Come with Me' from the Godzilla soundtrack. Check out the trailer.

Xzibit - Dying to Live

Aceyalone ft. Ahmad & Pep Love - Give it Here

I just saw this video up at nahright. I think it's four or five years old but I reckon it's worth posting. I love Ahmad, I don't have any of his albums but I'm always checking for him and his crew 4th Avenue Jones. His voice is distinctive but still pleasing and his flow doesn't sound effortless but that lilting, falling-over-itself sound is cool. And effortless flows run the risk of sounding lazy while Ahmad is almost always interesting to listen to. I'm not sure about his fluro arm-bands though. Pep Love is my favourite from the Hieroglyphics crew and his verse (the last one) is nice. Although it's his song, Aceyalone gets outshined on this one.



Also, check out the free downloads Respect and Rules of the Game by 4th Avenue Jones.

Digi Drama

I'm really digging this song. I like the sparse drums & piano beat and Thea on the hook. Digi Snax is still looking good. One day I'll manage to go for a week without posting something related to Busta or RZA but not this week.

Bobby Digital - Drama

'the realness' or 'the real hip hop is over here" (part 3)

i've been away from here for a while, so it's about time for another installment

gettin' on the busta bandwagon for a while, i just had to put this track up

'touch it (remix)' - busta rhymes feat. mary j. blige, rah digga, missy elliot, lloyd banks, papoose and dmx



the video also features spliff star, winky wright, felix trinidad, sean paul, dj kay slay

the start of this video is freakin' amazing
those kids rip it up

high concept #1 - flip your style
half way through the verse when busta tells you to "turn it up!" turn yor understated rhymes to venomous blasts

high concept #2 - colour code you rappers
missy in purple tracksuit, banks in lurid blue fur (damn those punk minks!) and x keepin' it dark in all black

this is kind of an old track, but it just sticks in my memory 'cause its so full on
lots of rappers, bright colours, slammin' beat, grand designs, kids stompin' the yard
it's all good

as far asd the guests go digga and papoose are the best, and honestly i could do without some of the others

but overall it's a great package

the censored version is pretty funny also
it's just full of holes - loads of stuff blanked out

king tim

Bobby Digital - You can't stop me now trailer

Anticipation...

Mixtape Monday - Cookbook & Uno Mas

Cookbook and Uno Mas are keeping that LA Symph sound going with Oh! Yes! It's Free. It's just a short, 7 track tape to keep the fans going. It's got that LA-chilled-Lupe-Fiasco-kids-in-the-suburbs-skateboarding type vibe which isn't usually my thing but works well here. Check out 'Monie Love' ft. Joey the Jerk, be the 8th person to download.

Download Mixtape | Provided by DatPiff.com

DJ Muggs & Planet Asia - That's What It Is

DJ Muggs & Planet Asia - That's What It Is

I've just heard this. It's a pretty cool collabo. The album Pain Language is coming out in August. I've never bothered with Planet Asia before but maybe I should...

That's what's up

So far this week:

• Suge got knocked out.
• Papoose exhibited poor judgment or maybe not.
• His fiancee Remy Ma was sentenced to 8 years the day later.
• There's a remix of 'Ya Dayz are Numbered' by NYGZ. It has Royce, Lady of Rage and Freddie Foxxx and it's on some classic Gangstarr ish.
• Raekwon is still sitting on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 but Necro ft. Ghostface is something to keep us going (Ghost's verse is a bit explicit so be warned). It's got a great, sparse beat.
• RZA has been working on a video for 'You Can't Stop Me Now' a song I posted last week.

Mixtape Monday - Black Milk

Black Milk is a producer/rapper from the D who isn't Eminem or D12. His mixtape Pressure was released last year to promote his album Popular Demand. He's very much in the school of J Dilla, Madlib and those sorts of guys. The mixtape has stuff with Dilla, Slum Village and one of my favourites on the mixtape is with Mr Porter (he just keeps popping up). He also produced a song on Pharoahe Monch's last album called Let's Go.

Check out Do Ya Thing (which sounds like some hip hop Dr Who theme song), Pressure and Keep It Live (with Mr Porter). Give it a go and if you like it check out his album.

Download Mixtape | Provided by DatPiff.com

Blessed

I'm getting excited about Busta's new album. I know I shouldn't expect too much, I should lower my expectations but it's nice not to expect rubbish. I've just read this write up about it and it sounds like it will be great, guest heavy but great. I hope.

I got you all in check

Busta is still on his grizzly. There are three new songs but it's the first one, Get Busy, that I'm interested in. The new album, I'm Blessed, will be out on July 1st.

Common Market - Black Patch War

Check out Common Market. They're a rap group from Seattle, the home of hip hop. I just heard them over at sitdownstandup and they're worth a listen.

Mixtape Monday - Ras Kass

Mixtape Monday is meant to hook you up with some good music and maybe get you (and me) into artists we haven't heard before. Mixtapes aren't usually very polished but sometimes that lack of polish is what can make them so good. So check it. Have a taste.

Ras Kass is one of the best who never quite made it. He's lyrically far ahead of most on the West (or East these days for that matter) and had the potential to succeed where rappers like Canibus failed - he could make a hook. I've been bumping Golden Chyld for a while now and I love it. It's enhanced by several songs that would have been on two of his albums that never came out.

So download it, stick it in your playlist and try it out this week. Check out the tracks 'Golden Chyld', 'Is This Love' and 'Kiss of Death'.

the b the o the b the b the y...

This is the cover of RZA's new Bobby Digital album, Digi Snax. I have high hopes for this one. A favourite hip hop memory of mine is of hanging out with Mikey at 6am in the morning, listening to the first Bob Digi album and writing sermons. Good times.

Apparently this album is going to be lots of 'fun'. You can listen to the first single You Can't Stop Me Now featuring Deck. It's got dirty snares that I like and rolls along nicely. I don't think it's great single material but I can imagine it fitting nicely into an album. The album comes out on July 1st.

Broken Heart

Pharoahe Monch has put another one out. Mr Porter produced it. It seems like every second song I get into these days had something to do with him.

Pharoahe Monch - Broken Heart

What I've heard from The Roots' new album Rising Down hasn't impressed me much. Grand Return is better than the other ones I've heard.