Daft Punk's Bastard Demon Child

Apart from artists such as Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, electronic music has never really excited me that much. There's techno, which is too repetitive. "Club" music, which, being an anti-Top 40 skater punk, has taught me to loathe (what is "club" music, anyway? Basically just progressive house with a bigger sound). Drum & Bass: too noisy. I can't listen to trance because I don't take ecstasy. So besides a few key artists, I opted to spend most of my high school years digesting hip-hop and punk rock music instead.

Enter 2001. Daft Punk released one of the most refreshing dance records in years. Songs like "One More Time" and "Harder Better Faster Stronger" swept dance clubs around the world like a storm. Two camera-shy, notoriously reclusive French DJ's single handedly resurrected the fun, care-free era of disco music. Usually similar-sounding artists are immediately signed by record companies looking to profit from a new music fad, but there were few artists available that could match the intensity and creativity that Daft Punk possessed. Ground-breaking music is never created overnight. Daft Punk spent over 4 years meticulously crafting their opus and if copy-cat artists were to follow it wasn't going to happen for some time. I was in love with this record and desired more and the Basement Jaxx's and Crystal Method's didn't quite match up to my expectations.

Enter 2007. Bored at work, I was sent a message from a friend telling me about a show he was attending by a new group named Justice that he was really digging. He sent me a YouTube link of their video, "D.A.N.C.E.". It immediately brought back memories of Daft Punk's melodic, sample-based dance music. I searched for more of their music and was thoroughly impressed enough to stop by the record shop after work and purchase their album. On the way home from the store I popped the CD into my car stereo and was not at all prepared for what I heard coming out of my speakers. Dark. Gothic. Gritty. Organic. Loud. Fucking mind-blowing. I was hooked on it like cocaine.

This album (entitled by a symbol, but commonly called Cross) is an instant dance classic. Constructed by two French DJ's in a basement over the course of 5 years, it's an amazing concept album with equal parts Michael Jackson and Nine Inch Nails. Clearly influenced by Daft Punk (also managed by the same guy who managed Daft Punk, Busy P) they are a force to be reckoned with in the club scene and they breath new life into (or more accurately described, vampirically siphon life from) the stale Electronica genre and create a completely novel and a boatload more exciting sound.

Genesis
Phantom
D.A.N.C.E.

Back Around Again

Guru is quoted as saying, "It's mostly the voice". I've always liked Grand Puba's voice. It's high-pitched, raspy and very nasally sounding but seems to take up a lot of space over a scratchy soul loop and drum break. So it was probably equal parts vocal chords and rhyme skills that led Grand Puba to become a hip hop star.

Maybe trying to follow a less politically-charged, hardcore Islamic vibe, Puba left the group Brand Nubian to start a solo venture with the album Reel To Reel. Very funky LP, with dope rhyming and funky drums. Also features an early appearance of Mary J. Blige. Definite classic, I still play this 16 years after it came out.


360° (What Goes Around)
Check It Out (feat. Mary J. Blige)
360° (What Goes Around) [SD50 Remix]

Another Cheesy Gem

I'm feeling like absolute shit today. I'm battling some kind of deadly virus, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

The UMC's draw influence from groups like Biz Markie and De La Soul, keeping the positive, fun vibe in hip hop at a time when the g-funk era was taking over. Wildpitch rappers Haas G and Kool Kim released Fruits of Nature in 1991 but were doomed from the start and split shortly after their second, more hardcore-themed album Unleashed in 1994.

Blue Cheese
Jive Talk

The West Coast Wu-Tang

Back in the mid-nineties I spent most of my teenage years in apathy of the school events and socializing, devoting most all of my time to my skateboarding passion. I must have spent every dime I made from bagging groceries and cooking hoagies on skateboard videos (old school VHS). The great thing about all those videos was that the pros got to choose their favorite songs to play during their featured montage of tricks, which ranged from punk to hip hop and sometimes even country.

I discovered Hieroglyphics when a commercial (yes, some of these videos even had advertisements) for a snowboard company had one of the gnarliest underground hip hop tracks I had ever heard. That track turned out to be a song featuring Del the Funky Homosapien called "At The Helm". This song ended up being the anthem of my summer.

Third Eye Vision was one of the most innovative albums to come out in 1998. Hieroglyphics is a super crew consisting of Del, Casual, Pep Love & Jaybiz (The Prose), and Souls of Mischief along with producer Domino. It's a bulkly album with numerous stand out tracks and almost no fillers with back and forth, top notch rhyming from all members. Although they're from Cali, their style resonates more from east coast artists and sample heavy beats (a rarity when most were opting for a more stripped down, clean production). Definitely a hip hop classic. Pick this album up if you ever come across it. You won't be disappointed.

You Never Knew
At the Helm
Oakland Blackouts

Mind Altering Demented Lessons In Beats

It's no secret that producer Madlib is one of the few jazz enthusiasts left in present times, evident in his numerous hip hop beats and experimental Yesterday's New Quintet albums, not to mention his father is a famous jazz singer. At the request of Stones Throw head-honcho Peanut Butter Wolf, Blue Note graciously allowed Madlib to create an album of remixed songs from their back catalog. I can imagine that Madlib must have felt like a kid in a candy store.

Shades of Blue isn't a jazz/hip hop-fusion album like Guru's Jazzmatazz. All but one track is instrumental. Most of what Madlib does with the tracks is rearrange the sections and add a drum loop, but despite the simplicity of it, it's a nice gateway album to the sources of the cuts, which include Andrew Hill, Donald Byrd, and Horace Silver. This is one of my favorite albums to play in the background of conversations and reading, which perfectly blends two of my favorite musical genres.

Distant Land
Stormy
Song For My Father

Little Brother, Big Controversy

Little Brother had high hopes for their softmore effort in 2005. It was to be their breakout album into the circus that is mainstream rap music. It received mixed reviews, most notoriously from The Source magazine, which was originally to give it a 4 and a half mic rating, but was lowered due to internal disagreements. Unfortunately the group split with their producer 9th Wonder recently, most likely due to the disappointing sales and creative differences between the two parties.

Nonetheless, The Minstrel Show is a pleasurable concept album comparing modern day rappers to black-faced performers of the early 19th century, satisfying the populace with gang glorification, female exploitation and not to mention terrible lyrical delivery. Phonte's flow meshes well with 9th's choppy, lo-fi production while Big Pooh provides his two cents worth.

Lovin' It
Say It Again
All For You

A Bright Idea + some DJ abilities = Classic Material

I gotta represent with a post about a dope group from my hometown once in a while. Ever since Atmosphere blew up about four or five years ago, the majors have been stalking the Twin Cities for similar musicians to sign, but most artists here have stayed true to the independent scene that nurtured them.

One of my favorite DJ/MC duo outta St. Paul is Eyedea & Abilities. Both men are veterans of the battle arena (Eyedea's most notorious was winning HBO's Blaze Battle and Abilities has won DMC regionals) and breath fresh, relieving air into the hip hop game. Their debut album came out in 2001 which seems like so long ago when I reflect on it today, almost makes me feel old (*sob*). Seriously though, albums just aren't as stitched together and as cohesive as this one anymore. I love concept albums with a central theme and songs that weave together like a rug on a loom. This is how albums are supposed to be listened to! Back to back, no track skipping, no bullshit. Just beautiful music that evokes feelings you couldn't get any other way.

Music Music
Liquid Sovereignty
On This I Stand

Since We Last Spoke...

Wow. Where to begin with a guy who borrowed his stage name from the cute, lovable droid from Star Wars? RJD2, who was a record collecting DJ nerd out of Ohio, began his music career DJing parties and making beats for the infamous MegaHertz crew until he was signed to Def Jux while shopping beats to record labels. I'm sure you've heard at least one of his cuts off his debut 2002 instrumental album, Deadringer in about 10 different Wells Fargo commercials.

While I treasure my autographed copy of Deadringer, I have a much higher appreciation of his second, more experimental album, Since We Last Spoke. I mean, he's sampling 70's sludge-rock, 80's synth, and combining it with funky hip hop beats and it fucking mashes together like ice cream and peanut butter (mmm...)!

Fuck all these "indie rock" musicians. This is what the future of music should sound like.

Exotic Talk
1976
Through The Walls

Now Hear This

In my humble opinion, indie hip hop really took off at the dawn of the new millennium (Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, Slum Village, Reflections Eternal just too name a few). The Unspoken Heard released their debut LP Soon Come... in 2001 on 7Heads recording label (also home of J-Live) to much critical acclaim.

Asheru and Blue Black are two very educated rappers who have a fond love of hip hop. Blue Black produces most of the record with lots of chopped piano samples and groovy beats. Asheru has a solid delivery that never bores. You can definitely hear similarities to Pete Rock's sound on this record, which is probably why I like it so much :)

Truly Unique
Theme Music
Elevator Music

Lost And Found

After Pete Rock parted ways with CL Smooth in 1994, he jumped back on the boards and created a project with his brother Rob-O and rappers Grap Luva and Marco Polo. Leading with the single, "Fakin' Jax", INI: Center of Attention was supposed to be released by his label Elektra but was shelved for 7 years until BBE repackaged it into a double CD along with another project entitled Deda: Original Baby Pa.

Center of Attention is a little more laid back and underproduced than his previous productions with CL Smooth, but that is what gives it its charm. The lyrical vibe is very calm and mellowed-out, not very complex, but on point nonetheless. Similar to Digable Planets and Gangstarr, I would place this in the genre of elevator hip hop music.

The Life I Live
Fakin' Jax
Grown Man Sport

Houblon de Hanche

While almost all Americans stick with home-brewed hip hop, they're missing out on a large, untapped reservoir of foreign made music. One of France's premier hip hop instrumentalists is DJ Cam, who began recording jazzy downtempo music in the mid-nineties. His major label debut, The Beat Assassinated is a fusion of minimalist and dub reggae vibes combined with east coast, sample-driven production featuring guest vocals from dubber Otis and NY rap group Channel Live.


Broadcasting Live (featuring Channel Live)
L'invasion (feat. Dadou from KDD)

Swing It Babees

When House of Pain ruled the singles chart with "Jump Around", Da Bush Babees snuck in through the back door and generated buzz with their own anthem, "Swing It". This NY trio consisted of Jamaican refugees Kaos, Mister Man and toaster Y-Tee. These guys featured some of the who's-who of producers on their debut album Ambushed including Jermaine Dupri and A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed.

One of my favorite hip hop cuts of all time, "We Run Things" evokes a nostalgic feeling of the days when hip hop stressed realness over sales every time I hear it.

Swing It
Just Can't Stand It
We Run Things (It's Like Dat)

A pair of Juggaknots

Another amazing duo who entered the hip hop game at the wrong time, Bronx producer Buddy Slim and emcee Breezy Brewin' make up the Juggaknots. After being put on the shelf by Elektra, they eventually released Clear Blue Skies EP on Fondle'Em Records back in 1996 which was criminally overlooked. This is a beefed up re-release of album featuring a bunch of new songs and remixes. They have a moody style similiar to their independent counterparts Company Flow and Darc Mind.

Take two No-Doz and don't sleep.

Trouble Man
Clear Blue Skies

You Blockhead!

Aesop Rock's producer Blockhead crafted this beauty of an album in 2004 showing off his composition skills. Straight outta Manhattan, Block utilizes obscure string samples and old drum breaks to create a melancholy orchestration. It's inevitable that I compare him to RJD2 and DJ Shadow since there are so very few instrumental hip hop artists that garner as much attention as them, but he has an ear for melodies and harmonies that few possess. This is one of my favorite chill albums, especially on a rainy day or a dreary winter night.

Enjoy.

You've Got Maelstrom
Sunday Seance
Insomniac Olympics

It's like dat...huh? Ya know!

This was a re-release of producer Jay Dee's (AKA J Dilla, R.I.P.) first successful group consisting of emcees T3 and Baatin. Originally released in 1996, it was a small sample to what would become the Detroit sound.

(Little known fact: The cut 'Players' was a battle song aimed at Eminem's posse D12)

The Look of Love
Players

Our Ghetto Pop Lives

Before Dangermouse blew up on the pop scene, he made a fantastic album with NY rapper Jemini the Gifted One. Jemini suffered the disappointment that so many up and coming emcees face in the mid-nineties after the deaths of 2Pac and Biggie, having his debut album shelved by the record companies who wanted more dumbed down, gangster-image dance records.

But as luck would have it, London-based producer Dangermouse was a fan of his work and contacted Jemini to show him some of his beats and offered to collaborate on a project. Their product was one of the best throw back albums of the 2000 era. Jemini features a high pitched voice with infectious hooks while Dangermouse layers the grittiest, chopped up drum breaks over lush, orchestrated samples.

Ghetto Pop Life
Medieval ft The Pharcyde

Diggin' up an Artifact

Although graffiti is one of the four elements of hip hop, it always tends to be at the bottom of the list of rapper's song topics just below "party joint" and "chicken heads".

Enter the Artifacts, a dynamic group who wrote THE definitive hit song about getting up in the brick city. Hailing from New Jersey, Emcees El da Sensai and Tame One have unique styles that reflect off their affiliates EPMD and Redman (who also produced half the album), carving their own niche in hip hop's golden age. Their debut album, Between a Rock and a Hard Place is littered with heavy drum loops, dissonant jazz samples and complex rhyming verses.

Wrong Side of da Tracks
Whayback