Bristol has been the home to some ridiculous line-ups over the past few months and its future as a venue for some stellar Hip Hop gigs is very much in the ascendency. On the day that Rhyme & Reason unveiled joint headliners of KRS-ONE and PETE ROCK for a future venture; home-grown sounds descended upon Lakota again for another night of dope beats.
After the customary local warm-up from Juvey P & Lowdose; Res, J Man & Fingerfood took to the stage to drop fresh material under their new pseudonym, Team 84. With Fingerfood cutting and chopping with the precision of Heston Whatshischops, J Man showcasing his lyrical dexterity with his trigger-tongue highlighting his prowess on both 90 and 140bpm and Res calling for an impromptu Split Prophets assembly; the energy and rapid-fire flows served as the perfect appetiser for the evening’s entertainment.
Kicking off the High Focus showcase; their latest acquisition Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, flanked by Leaf Dog, slowed it down, smoothed shit out and previewed a host of tracks from their upcoming collab, “The Dog ‘N’ Bone EP”. From the audience’s response, he definitely earned himself some new fans and their new EP is better than heavy so make sure you keep your eyes and ears peeled when that lands towards the end of the month (the review’s on its way very soon too). Bringing that real life drama to the Red Dread soundsystem, Leaf then took centre stage with his fellow Amigo/ Owl BVA, running through tracks old and new (including fresh Four Owls and BVA solo ish) with the endless energy we’ve come to expect from the duo.
With HF mainstay and Wordplay familia Sammy B-Side firmly settled on the 1s and 2s and controlling the night’s vibes with a mere flick of his digits, it was time for the head honcho and ‘elder statesmen’ of the label to raise the levels even further. Trading verses and tracks, Fliptrix and Verb T took us to the edge, along the high way, dropped more dynamite before sparking a near riot as they encouraged Lakota to start wylin’ out. Drawing the High Focus theme to a temporary climax, the often calm and reserved individual, most commonly known as Dirty Dike, kicked off his stint on stage with a chorus of his “favourite song” containing the repetitive and admittedly catchy sole lyrics of “Fuck You”. Maintaining the night’s theme of dropping new material, after running through tracks from his “Sloshpot EP”, he delved into a couple of gems from his upcoming “Return Of The Twat LP” before pushing the speakers to their limits with a ridiculously bass-laden D&B onslaught.
Seemingly out of nowhere, the headline act arrived. Throwing Mr. Ti2bs to the foreground to drop heat from his recent release “Super Ti2bs”, Skinnyman then stepped up to show how it’s done. Backed by his son, the veteran ran through a whole host of his classic tracks with the likes of “Fuck The Hook”, “Who Me?” and “No Big Ting” near enough blowing the roof off the place. Skinny’s relentless energy, hyperactivity and determination for the crowd to spark something created the foundation for a set that would most definitely put some of the younger bucks in the scene to shame. As his showpiece drew to a close, he then became hype-man for High Focus’ resident ornithologists.
One of the hardest working collectives around at the minute; The Four Owls once more took flight and delivered a high calibre set list, covering their brilliant debut and material from their forthcoming follow up; with the same passion and enthusiasm that anyone who’ve clocked them over the past 12 months would come to expect from their shows. As the night reached its crescendo Dabbla, Dubbeledge, illaman and Sumgii, under their Problem Child alias, hit the stage to shut it down. Possibly only their second collective outing, the combined experience shone through as the group hyped up the crowd, dropped new bars and served up the perfect culmination to a monumental night of the finest sounds from our shores.
Once more, Bristol played host to another ridiculously heavy night of entertainment. With too many highlights to really do them justice, the biggest bonus to take away from the evening’s events was the sheer amount of new material on offer. Everyone that played have new stuff waiting in the wings and for those that thought 2012 was an epic year for British Hip Hop; based on what was witnessed at Ill By Definition, the remainder of 2013 has massive potential to eclipse its predecessor and further cement our scene’s standing in the global culture. UK Stand Up.
Brand new music video from up and coming Cambridge crew Justify The Cause.
JTC’s latest video shows the guys chilling on a warm summers day and represents typical summer days spent in my hometown, the Bridge. Nice summery vibes on the video, good rhymes and tight production handled by JKD and Twiggz (also the first MC on this video) the 2nd rapper in this vid is my man Courtz. The video is filmed and edited by my Generation iLL crew mate, the man behind www.designsteez.com Steven Watts. Play it, share it, enjoy it, play it again and have a great summer while the rain is at bay!
We recently shared a few words with East Anglian mc and Ipswich resident, Booda French (A.K.A Truth, for all the battle rap fans) and his newly acquired back scratcher
Please introduce yourself:
Booda French, Millionaires By Morning, East Angeles
When did you start rapping?
I don’t have a definitive date really, it sounds dumb yeah and it sounds like something that would be on how I made it in America type of reality TV show but as far as I can remember I used to be known as like the rapper in primary school, I think I was the only person that knew about hiphop there. The first definitive moment, everyone has their hiphop spark, was when I heard Biggies Warning, I saw the music video when he’s laying in bed and shit, so I guess like 10-12 years and only now have I got to the status where I can have a back scratcher, with a little chain on it. Even my back scratchers baaaaallin
What are your thoughts on the current UK hiphop scene?
Not alot, nah I’m joking, you can put that in. It’s alrite man, I’ve never been massively into ‘UK hiphop’ like standard UK hiphop, I always thought a lot of it is quite bland, a lot of it I think lacks much character to it, it’s changing now, there’s a lot of good movements going on and I don’t wanna killjoy or anything but my influence from UK hiphop would be pretty minimum I’d say
What’s in your fridge right now?
It’s kinda bad that you ask that because as a non-drinker there’s a whole lot of beer in there, there’s always milk in there because I drink a lot of tea and there’s a bit of cheese. Actually in the freezer compartment there’s some dead rats
You say a lot of words, what’s your favourite word of all?
Fruitcake
Any other artists we should look out for?
Yeh, I’m gonna only say one because I forgot to say it in my last interview, when they said who from your area should we listen to I forgot to say this one guy, so I’m just gonna say it’s Mancini and the Creepers, he’s the only person you should care about right now!
Are you working on any projects at the moment and what can we expect from you in 2012?
Well the thing is, I don’t wanna do the whole curse when I say I’m working on this yeh, DROPPING SOON, and it’ll never drop because it’s been like that for me since like the last 10 years or something but I’m working on some kind of EP or collection of tracks called Ventolin, I’ve got like 5 demos done for that including 61 Grace which has just gone online. I’ve always wanted to do a little project called East Angeles, where I take like music from my local area from bands and stuff, loop it up and rap over it, I’ve done 2 demo’s for that, the demo’s are on youtube, I went over a group called The Cads and over Ed Sheeran who you might of heard of, Then there’s the Millionaires by Morning stuff as well
Your most memorable battle and why?
Probably the whole Jumpoff 2006 thing just because it was pretty epic at the time but recent times my favourite was Tony D, that was the only battle that I really wanted to do and enjoyed doing. I sound like a fucking buzzkill man I’ve been like lucky to go to like battle in 3 different countries and here I am just fucking moaning about it
Out of anyone dead or alive who would you like to battle?
Well I’d feel bad battling someone dead, there may be laws against that actually. I’d like to battle Bill O’reilly and it would be full of Cam’ron references
Dream collaboration?
Gil Scott-Heron
Favourite sandwich?
Bacon
Favourite childhood cartoon?
Johnny Bravo and Dexters Laboratory, I fused them together and made me, I’m like a hench Dexter, a sexy Dexter, I’m a Sexter. Sexters Laboratory
You also run a succesful hiphop night called Rapsploitation Sessions which mc’s have you put on in the past and what have you got planned for this year?
We’ve put a lot of people on, I’d say we’ve put on pretty much who’s who of ‘UK Hiphop’ and also been fortunate enough to do a lot of American stuff, we’ve got a couple of nights pencilled in and we’ve been going for 5 years now and for the last 2 of them I’ve been kind of thinking of dropping it just because I’ve got to a point in this city where I’ve done all I can do really in the space provided but that being said we had Souls of Mischief playing with Tanya Morgan and Bodega Brovas, that was March 6th, we’ve also got something in April which is yet to be confirmed, but it’s a free one and it’s like a smaller American hiphop act made up of 2 mc’s. I enjoy doing them kind of nights with people that aren’t so recognised as I find it more of a challenge like when we had Homeboy Sandman out last year who’s like my favourite mc out at the moment and he at the time may not of been as well known as say someone else we’ve had down who I just know will sell out, I just loved that because I love the guys music, to have him on was a pleasure, so you know, I just do it when an opportunity arises, we might just do more regular ones instead of just stopping them.
Any shoutouts?
I’m not very good at shout outs….. Shout out to Chris over here man, he plays basketball everyday, everyday. This is hard, there’s a lot of people to choose from you know, I’ll shout out Dj Muddle, J57 who produced my new song, Von Pea, he’s on my EP that might not release, Jimmy Green and there’s a few people I’d like to shout out but I’m not sure we have the time or the memory. Wait, I’m obligued to shout out Wordplay Magazine, how’d you like that little one there!
There’s no better feeling then coming across an underground release and it actually being half good, and the Haanshake is just that and more.
Both parties involved I’d never heard of before, man I’m pleased i do now. Emcee Haan teams up with producer Sixth sense to release their free debut. London based Haan has a almost hypnotic style of deliverance, weapon of choice being, an in-depth understanding of various life subjects and interesting life concepts which he puts across while avoiding the cliche whiney preacher flex, with an extensive vocabulary to back him up further this guy showcases a lot of strength, Sixth sense on the Production movements kills it for me, working heavily within looping strings and tangy drum snaps laying almost eery tracks like “Be like you”, complimenting with tracks like “The ending” which takes us back to familiar hip hop territories, the guys productions are dope.
The whole album stinks with talent bunched with intelligence of the genre. It’s also FREE, seriously download this and support.
Hip Hop is exploding out of every nook and cranny at the moment, we came across this cracking little album from a collective based in Guernsey (off the shores of normandy in the english channels) who go by the name Asylum Seekas.
These guys have already supported a heavy weight bunch of acts including Jehst, Lewis parker and Yungun. Upon listening to “Recorded Delivery” it quickly becomes apparent as to why these opportunities arose for them. Consisting of a four strong Emcee pack Apex, Jimi Riddlz, Kp The Iceman and Big ish Who, led by producers from Iceman beats and Dj Minirol, gives for a wide spectrum to showcase talent.
Emcee’s as a group work together well and even cohere within vocal pitch and styles, while production mirrors original true to form hip hop. Throughout the album there is good evidence of lyrical intellect and production savvy, which can be heard in “Miss taken”. The Black Russian aka Klashnekoff even crops up for a feature. Considering these had been off the radar to us until recently, sets Asylum Seekas for a Diamond in the dirt Status …go check and support.
“Pump Dat Bass” is the first single taken of the eagerly anticipated debut “Bad influence” from the verbally gifted Ramson Badbonez.
Bonez has already gained firm acknowledgement with our ears and within the scene, with several highly rated mixtapes and singles already under his belt allowing him time and experience to fully master a individuality within his style and push forward towards undoubtedly a Sick debut album.
For me this single is him marking his territory and letting any Whack emcees know that he’s ready for business. With Row D beats destroying production, this single is a promising insight into his debut set for release early 2012.
Christmas has just been doused in rum and set alight. Our Brighton based Booze fuelled gang Rum committee have just released “Committee Christmas” produced for the One Inch Badge “Merry Krampus” show. These guys have always been a Wordplay favorite, their use of humorous lyrics always leave me in stitches, on this track they take everything that’s meant to be jolly, take it, twist and spew it out in a jumbled barrage of comical attacks and vile punch lines. I’d invite these guys to the Wordplay office Christmas party anytime.
Keeping it Badtaste records again, Trellion is part of A-Street-Cartel who released the self titled album recently, we run 10 question by him…..
1. Where are you from?
Parker place, Lunaville island. Sheffield sometimes as well.
2. Do you have a calling card or catch phrase?
Oooiiiiii.
3. Cornflakes or Pancakes?
Pancakes
4. What’s in your fridge right now?
Bowl of sweetcorn, peach Ice tea and a bottle of milk that looks like a lava lamp.
5. Are you touring? Where can I see you?
Done a bunch of gigs up and down the UK in 2011 and looking to do a mini tour sometime early 2012.
6. Whats the worst thing to happen to you on stage?
Nothing bad has ever happened to me on stage, touch wood, no homo
7. Can you link us to a Youtube video of yours?
What other UK artist should we look out for?
I’m definitely digging Defenders of Style from Leeds but apart from what’s coming out of my own crews label (Bad Taste) I’m pretty out the loop about what’s going on in the UK scene. I’m all up for hearing new shit though.
9. You say a lot of words, but whats your favorite word of all?
Luna (said in evil scientist voice)
10. What’s your latest release and where can I get it?
A-Street Cartel- available from Badtasterecords.co.uk. Sniff got some foul beats on there, shout out Young and Miffa. Also make sure you look out for ‘The Shadow People’ LP a joint venture from Trellion and Figment, all beats by Thirdpersonlurkin.
Strange light district is a stunningly mellow album of instrumentals conjured up by producer Marshall Artist aka Third Person Lurkin’.
This album for me is a prime example as to how important it is having a talented and musically exceptional brain within labels and behind recording emcee’s. This album isn’t about the club bangers and the nastiest sounding kick snare, but more the depths involved in finding, altering and creating ear twitching samples and multi layered rifts that tell a story, without the need for words. This albums nature is purely intended to unwind the mind. Third Person Lurkin’s ability to tie hip hop drums with experimental percussion, electronic synths and a dope assembly of manipulated brass instruments, gives for a extremely civilised yet rugged approach too production.
Holding ties with Badtaste records, Dusted Wax Kingdom and Deadbeat production this guy is a MUST look out for, Serious!
The Strange Light District is an 11 track album, here’s a taster:
Another release I’ve been meaning to add for a while, Cappo returns not long after The Fallout with Gusto grizwold: International vacation. Taking beats from all over, some well known like Massive attacks Teardrop and others unheard. This is all about the barrage of lyrics he spits on every track, Kling Klang is a perfect example:
Sheffield Born, Manchester representing, Tactical thinking associated Assa man drops his “Everyday user” album upon the world, and it will leave a dent on listening impact.
I first caught wind of the release when I heard “Super hero” a quick witted and comical flip on the roles your “typical” hero encounters, laid over an extremely catchy beat. Throughout this album Assa delivers at a slick tongued pace, flirting between dark and almost satirical lyrical content, which contains a huge amount of cunning, and detail, “Soap opera” ft Derogatory showcases this perfectly. Production side, each track coherently allows for ultimate damage to be obtained via Assa mans wordplays, using catchy piano rifts and a steady company of drum kicks. With various track features from the rest of his Tactical thinking Clan (watch out for “My boss” ft Leaf Dog), leaves this album complete with heavy hitters.
Plus order a copy and receive Tactical Thinking’s “Too broke to go solo” album….BIG!
10 Questions
1. Where are you from?
“Manchester, representing Blackpool with Sheffield ancestors”
2. Do you have a calling card or catch phrase?
It has been brought to my attention that I talk about my testicles a lot.
3. Cornflakes or Pancakes?
Neither, Frosties.
4. What’s in your fridge right now?
Loads of kids food I get told off for eating and asparagus.
5. Are you touring? Where can I see you?
Not touring at the moment, I should be, but I simply haven’t got time.
6. Whats the worst thing to happen to you on stage?
We got racially abused once at a gig in Trafford, no shit. Before we even started rapping they were shouting all sorts of stupid shit at us, some even threw a chip barm (Those of you from further south this is a chip butty) at Derogatory but he swerved it. Ill never forget that, Fucking knob heads!
7. Can you link us to a Youtube video of yours?
“32 bars” taken from my album EVERYDAY USER OUT 02/12/11
8. What other UK artist should we look out for?
Modern Medicine are gonna be one to watch they are basically Tactical Thinking minus a few wastemen including my self.
9. You say a lot of words, but whats your favorite word of all?
“Tufficult” Alan Shearer said it at the 2010 world cup finals.
10. What’s your latest release and where can I get it?
EVERYDAY USER produced by Naïve and Pete Canonn, Featuring Leafy, B.V.A, Deadline, Jim Raygun, Derogatory, Jay Madden, Tenchoo, Lego, Rebecca Stevens, Foola and more…
You can get it right now from everydayuser.co.uk also available on itunes and amazon.
I was meant to post this a few days back, a new radio show from Bozak and SMB. This guys got a serious record collection, all vinyl starting off with Northern Soul and building to some savage old skool hip hop! This is well worth a listen, lets hope they can stick to a show a week!
Check out this piece written by a dear friend of Wordplay for www.livemusic.fm
RAP MUSIC OUTSELLS EVERY OTHER MUSICAL GENRE AND DOMINATES CHARTS ACROSS THE GLOBE. LIVEMUSIC EXPLORES WHY RAP HAS BECOME THE DOMINANT FORCE IN MUSIC AND EXPLORES HOW IT HAS ADAPTED TO CATER FOR THE MAINSTREAM.
My love for hip hop can be traced to two key moments in my childhood. One, the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, and two, when I found Wu Tang Clan’s ‘Enter The 36 Chambers’ under a bush at the age of ten. I have felt a strange spiritual connection with the changing face of rap music through the nineties and into the dreaded noughties ever since that discovery. It’s like it was destiny or something. The trouble is hip hop has become such a gargantuan filth spewing beast that it is nigh on impossible to pin down and contextualise. Trying to fathom exactly why rap music has become what is has can be likened to theorising a new religion. Droves of rap fans live, eat and breathe hip hop culture. Whether they are fans of krunk or Anticon, UK backpackers or 2-Pac diehards with the posters on their walls and ‘THUGLIFE’ tattoos on their bellies.
Before we get sucked into the sub-genre rap mire, let’s take a second to consider why rap is HANDS DOWN the most commercially lucrative form of music on the face of the planet.
IT ALL STARTED WITH MTV…
News that MTV has taken the unprecedented step of revisiting its roots by announcing the return of Yo! MTV Raps, should act as a reminder that hip hop music was once both creatively and artistically leagues apart from the music that is currently polluting the billboard charts from England to Israel.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Yo! formula, the weekly 2-hour show ran from 1988 to 1995 and played a key role in taking hip hop from the street corners and positioning it in the living rooms of middle America. Hosts Dr. Dre, Ed Lover and Fab Five Freddy took relatively unknown rappers (N.W.A, Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Eric. B and Rakim, Wu Tang Clan, Notorious BIG to name but a few) and transformed them into household names. Weekly cyphers, video showcases, interviews and album features made rap a consumable product; a new mode of entertainment that would kick start the revolution and turn rap into a dominant musical force. Speaking on the re-birth, Yo! host and hip hop legend Fab 5 Freddy said:
“In order to appreciate how far hip hop has come, you have to pay respect to the songs and artists that helped catapult the genre from a small community of fans to world domination.”
If one considers the fact that MTV initially blacklisted hip hop and soul music when it took its first steps as a Music Television network, and that the first episode of Yo! quickly went on to become the most watched show in the network’s history, then the historical significance of Yo! cannot be questioned. However, the evolution of rap music that Fab 5 Freddy touches upon is where it becomes puzzling.
Just how far has it really come since the golden era Freddy?
The return of Yo! will celebrate the roots of the movement by focussing on a selection of classic hip hop joints, but at the same time educate a new generation of rap fans about how it all began. The question is, to what extent will a new generation of whippersnappers be interested by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Ice Cube and Geto Boys when the rap music they have been raised on is 80,000 leagues away from the aforementioned artists? While it is great that Yo! MTV Raps is being given a final swan song, it will get no nearer to explaining why the world of rap has been overrun by an artistic and stylistic approach that would leave Biggie turning in his grave.
If the nineties saw the rise of the multi-million dollar gangster rappers; the guys with the drugs and the guns (and subsequently the Bentleys and the mansions), but most significantly, rappers with real skill and verve, then the noughties has become a breeding ground for undiluted pop acts that walk and talk in the same fashion as the golden generation, but either cannot or choose not to showcase their rapping abilities on their biggest hits.
At times majestic, but most of the time appallingly bad, 21st century rap music has a lot of explaining to do. Are these idiots still selling as many units as the legends of rap? Yes? Should they be? That is up for you to decide. Have a listen to what Ill Doctrine has to say about virtuosity in the modern rap game.
“To be lyrical or not to be lyrical. That never used to be a question…”
In order to figure out exactly what the fuck is going on in 2011, let’s focus on both the good and bad in rap music today. The most exciting and the most retarded.
THE MOST EXCITING
It is sad to say, but the legends that Yo! MTV Raps championed back in the late 80′s and early 90′s have grown old, grey and boring. That, or they are no longer with us. Rap music grew stale and sorry for itself until OFWGKTA kicked the door off the hinges to breathe life back into the scene. Odd Future were born in the noughties. They represent the high-speed bandwidth generation. Their ‘we do not give a flying fuck’ attitude has galvanised an army of fans across the globe and said following has seen the gaggle of LA reprobates achieve overnight legendary status. In the same way that Yo! MTV Raps took rap music and introduced it to television audiences, Odd Future have done everything in their power to build an unrivalled internet presence. Tumblr pages, the militant use of Twitter, free album downloads in their dozens, everything.
Tyler The Creator and his gang of Odd Future compadres insurmountable rise can be linked to their active disregard of the golden era of rap and the holier than thou pillars that made up hip hop culture. It can also be closely linked to the fact that rap music was screaming out for an Odd Future shaped injection, basically a good old kick up the arse. The pillars do not exist in the commercial rap world anymore, as they no longer define success, only credibility, and let’s be honest, credible artists rarely take the charts by storm.
Odd Future represent revolution. The LA skater kids have split the scene with their utterly captivating output. Regarded as too ‘unorthodox’ and ‘gimmicky’ by hardcore rap fans and too ‘outlandish’ and ‘childish’ by the left field backpackers, they have reinvigorated rap by doing something entirely new and refreshing. Comparisons with Wu Tang Clan only make sense when considering their youthful and nihilistic angst.
THE MOST RETARDED
Here is Livemusic’s top five list of ‘The Most Retarded rappers in the game’.
5 – Lil B
Lil B has to make this list, but that does not mean I dislike him. There is something strangely entertaining about the music Lil B is responsible for churning out. Sure, technically he rhymes like a 9 year old boy with learning difficulties, and he has a penchant for calling himself “a pretty bitch”, which if you are searching for superlatives (as rappers do 24/7) this isn’t really the best thing to coin yourself, however, his music makes people laugh, usually as no-one can tell if he is being serious or not. In a world where most rappers take themselves far too seriously, Lil B is actually a breath of fresh air. The trouble is, it seems everyone is laughing at, rather than with him.
4 – Mike Jones
There is absolutely nothing wrong with repetition in rap music. Repetition is prevalent in all forms of music, but this guy takes it to another level. Is it just me or does repeating your name over-and-over again not really constitute rapping? Maybe he is onto something? In a world where everyone is rapping, embracing a relentless name dropping tactic in an attempt to DRILL your existence into the deepest recesses of rap fans cerebrums seems to work for Mike. Mike Jones is rap music’s first cold caller. He is like a double glazing salesman. Genius? Or just plain annoying?
3 – Gucci Mane
Gucci Mane is another shit rapper who recently spent a spell in prison for throwing a woman out of a moving car because she refused to have sex with him. One of his more famous tracks is called ‘I’m The Shit’, however, it would be a far more appropriate title if he had removed ‘The’ from the title. He thrives in the 50 Cent ‘I got shot 9 times’ / ‘I killed a man’ bracket to sell units. It seems to work.
2 – Waka Flocka Flame
Waka Flocka Flame is a 25 year old rapper from Georgia. He is the perfect example of everything wrong about the world of rap today. Even though this guy says absolutely nothing on absolutely every single track that he has EVER released, he was still named the eighth hottest rapper by MTV in 2010 even though he only started rapping in 2008. There is very little one can do to explain what motivates Waka Flocka’s output, but having read several interviews it is clear that he started rapping not for the love of the craft, but more in the pursuit of substantial amounts of money.
Waka Flocka Flame sounds like your drunk buddy trying to kick freestyles even though they have never once rapped before. In fact, scratch that, Waka Flocka is not even as good as that guy down the pub. Has anything ever been more bamboozling than someone proclaiming they are a rapper but refusing to acknowledge that they have lyrics?
1 – Pitbull
If there was ever an emcee that took the fundamentals of rapping (speaking rather than singing, saying yo occasionally, talking about having money and girls) and turning it into a successful formula for the pop charts, then this guy takes the entire packet of biscuits and eats them in one greasy gulp. His verses are made up of random spurts of inane wordplay that finish in a flash / queue an RnB singer / then back to a little bit more of Pitbull and BLAM!! Number one in seventeen countries. Pitbull currently has three different singles in Spain’s Top Ten chart. Pitbull personifies everything that is dark and depressing about what has become of rap music today, he may as well be a stumpy little robot.
OUCH!
MTV lost interest in championing true grassroots music when the network realised that reality television drew a bigger viewing audience. What did we expect them to do? ‘Youth Culture’ attracts greater viewing figures than music videos. In this regard, MTV has been a sinking ship ever since the cataclysmic success of ‘The Real World’. Let us hope that the rebirth of Yo! will trigger someone in the board room to re-jig the programme schedule, even just a tiny bit. Now while it is fantastic that Yo! MTV raps is being granted one last opportunity to educate a new generation of fans, some of who think that the Lil B’s and Waka Flocka’s represent the beautiful art of rap, the chances of it making any difference whatsoever are slim to none.
Let’s leave this debate with an enlightening outburst by respected hip hop critic Neil Portis…
“I just suddenly lost it…I couldn’t live with the lie any longer. Rap is horseshit…What the hell was I thinking?…”You know, I’ve just been giving out three stars to every new rap album—and I can’t tell the difference between any two”…“I was sitting there, listening to God knows what, and I suddenly thought, ‘What is this shit?”
The Palace is a Sick single Conjured up by north London based, politically minded Rap group Defdfires. With their debut album Operation: Zombie Nation that dropped last month they are definitely worth looking out for.
These guys are taking hip hop too new levels with what they have to say about the current state of our economy and what the world is possibly coming too, “The Palace” being a direct finger up to the system and an insight into some Interesting views. Along with a nice twist on hip hop production and a well directed video make for a promising first single.
Sheffield Born, Manchester representing, Tactical thinking associated Assa man drops his “Everyday user” album upon the world, and it will leave a dent on listening impact.
