Check out the brand new tees we got from our pals at Syndicate Clothing, fresh out the box! To celebrate their arrival, we’ve going to give one away… All you need to do is to get your tickets for the EP Launch, take a photo of them and post it on our Facebook wall. Next Sunday, we’ll pick one person’s photo at random and they’ll win a tee!
If you think you know UK Hip Hop, and don’t know Taskforce – you have some serious homework to do. New Mic Disorder was a seminal album for UK heads, but Taskforce had much more, putting out a bunch of EPs and singles that made a massive impact on hip hop over here, and particularly on me. Cosmic Gypsies (above) with Jehst was a perfect storm, Jehst is spectacular on the unassuming beat, and both Chester P and Farma G are superlative too. Chester is a heavy lyricist, I almost want to read as much as listen – so next time you’re stuck for something to listen to, go and find Taskforce’s back catalogue, and start from the beginning.
Talib Kweli is named checked by every rapper worth his salt, and rightly so. His flow is unreal, truly unlike any other, and when it comes to lyrical content, no one can even come close when it comes to the profoundly philosophical and political. The early Rawkus days were the best in my opinion; with guest verses on some great tracks (‘What If?’ but L-Fudge on Soundbombing l, my standout), the sublime Black Star album with Mos Def, the first Reflection Eternal album, and a host of singles too. There’s a lot of Kweli to listen to if you’re new to him, but the track above is perfect to whet the appetite, and far from being the peak of what he’s about.
Tupac was an intensely complex character and I’ve always been a big fan. Undoubtedly there are times when that can drag you in to defending some pretty strange things, but on the whole it’s worth it with Tupac… From the fierce politics of 2pacalypse Now, to the commerciality of All Eyez On Me there is always something that captures the imagination with ‘pac, and something that redeems him every time you may think you’re done. We all exist in contradictions, Tupac more so than many, and he articulated it so well – even in what seems like a throw away lyrics there could be something worth keeping. There are many moments that the only person I want to listen to is Tupac…
More Ts: Timbuktu, Tommy Evans, Ty.
It’s been a little while in the making, but we’ve finally finished our first EP. The Showtime EP features five tracks; Showtime, No Good (featuring Dan Gillan), This Music, Get Em Up and I Don’t Like Hip Hop.
We’re really stoked with the way the EP has turned out. The record is really upbeat – we tried to capture the essence of the way we approach performing, and put across a little of the vibe and energy you get from us on stage, so the title track says it all – it’s showtime!
The special artwork for the EP has been done by our good friend and incredibly talented artist, Dylan Lisle – that’s oil on canvas right there… Those are some mad skills!
Showtime will be officially launched at Electric Circus on February 4, where we’ll take to the stage along with some very special guests. Tickets are £5 in advance from Ticket Web & Ripping Records. Tickets on the door £7. Check out details on the facebook event page here.
The EP will be available for digital download from February 4, but you can preview it here!
Showtime by The Ordinary Allstars
No Good by The Ordinary Allstars
This Music by The Ordinary Allstars
Get Em Up by The Ordinary Allstars
I Don’t Like Hip Hop by The Ordinary Allstars
Given that there are so many possibilities for R I’ve picked out just two, but make sure you check out more below… First up is the royalty of live hip hop, The Roots. Hip Hop is so often presented as just an MC in front of a DJ when it comes to performing, and even that instruments in a hip hoppers studio are all virtual. Who better to dispel that than The Roots, driven by their most extra-ordinary drummer, producer, composer and arranger, ?uestlove. Not only do they have an incredible catalogue of top drawer records (still going – new album, Undun is out soon), they are also the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and the backing band to Jay Z and many more when other such ‘traditional’ artists want to really impress with a live set up. Unsurprisingly, they are particular inspiration for us – in the live hip hop arena, no one does it better.
The other artist I’ve chosen to represent ‘R’ is from south London, Roots Manuva, and the track above is a personal favourite, from the untouchable ‘Countryman’ by the supreme Skitz. Roots Manuva has a very particular drawl and delivery, awesome rhythm and killer lyrics – there’s not much more that you could ask for than that! Of course you’ll know him from Witness (1 Hope), but Brand New Second Hand, his first LP, was off the hook – and you must check out Juggle Tings Proper and Clockwork, but prepare to get your head blown.
Going through this A-Z, certain things have come to light – and this week, it appears to be the case that your chances of being a great hip hop artist are probably greater if your name begins with ‘R’. Expect a re-launch from the Rordinary Rallstars any time now…
More Rs: RA The Rugged Man, Raekwon, Rakim, Rascalz, Rasco, Redman, Redrama, Reflection Eternal, RJD2, Rodney P, Royce Da 5’9″, RZA.
In all honesty, Q-Tip doesn’t exactly have a lot of competition from other Hip Hop Qs, but that doesn’t mean for a second that here’s here to make up the numbers. An incredibly talented rapper in both a solo capacity, and as part of A Tribe Called Quest – Q Tip has a vocal style you can pick a mile away. But to think of him as just another rapper is to do him a great disservice. He produced the first three ‘Tribe albums, and has a list of production and writing credits that includes many classics, and a bunch of other songs that might just surprise you! If you haven’t listened to any Tribe in a while, just go and listen back through their catalogue (The Anthology is a good place to start) – they might not always be first to come to mind, but make the effort and you really will be rewarded.
Anyone willing to leave Public Enemy out of a hip hop A-Z should be quietly (or not) escorted from the building. The godfathers of this rap thing, Public Enemy don’t just have a list of hits as long as your arm, they have some of the most influential songs and albums, of not just a generation, but an entire culture of music. Recognise.
The Pharcyde were always favourites of mine, I love that you can hear that West coast sunshine in their music. Labcabincalifornia is amongst my favourite albums ever too – and Runnin’ will forever be one of the most evocative songs in hip hop…
Pharoahe Monch is awesome. Simple as that. One of the best flows in the business? I think so – he always seems to throw words at you in a super clever way that you’d never expect. Really tight on the lyric side too, there’s not much that you can pick holes in with this man.
More Ps: People Under The Stairs, Pete Rock, Phi Life Cypher, Prince Paul, Planet Asia
After a pretty awesome weekend and hanging out with our pals at Syndicate Clothing, we decided that it was about time we got ourselves some cool new tees… We’ve narrowed it down to a couple different colours/designs and wanted to know your thoughts! Have you got a favourite? Let us know!
I’ve always been a big fan of international hip hop, and the Cuban crew Orishas are amongst my top favourites. It’s music lovers’ hip hop in my opinion – Spanish lends itself so well to their flow, and the Cuban flavour that infuses all aspects of their music is really special. Check out ‘A Lo Cubano’ and ‘El Kilo’ which are both awesome albums and you’re sure to love..
There was never really a compromise with ODB, but then there never really needed to be. As you might expect from anyone going by the name Ol’ Dirty Bastard, he didn’t make stuff your mum likes, but with both the Wu Tang Clan and as a solo artist he could make your head nod like a churchill dog with banging beats and sick delivery. RIP ODB.
For what I believe to be an inherently revolutionary art form, Hip Hop can often be pretty conservative in its outlook with artists wanting to stay well within the boundaries of what people have done before. It’s some contradiction, but change in any form has rarely been welcomed in Planet Hip Hop. That’s kind of why I like Outkast – they really don’t seem to be concerned with that, and just get on with doing things their way – which is pretty damn well!
More Os: O.C., Obie Trice, Organized Konfusion.
There are a lot of Ns to choose from. I couldn’t face the decision to cut any, so I’ve taken the easy way out and put all the heavy hitters in together – and boy, do they all have weight! So, in no particular order, N is for Nas, Naughty By Nature, NWA & Notorious BIG.
There are so many Nas songs that could be the one to represent what he’s done, and what his music means to a hip hop head, but I think ‘Represent’ sums it up pretty nicely for me.
Naughty By Nature were amongst the first Hip Hop artists I ever listened to, I used to treasure my 19 Naughty III album on cassette back in the day (Yeah, that dates me). Although the obvious hits may outshine some of the other tracks they’ve done, they’ve got a ton of bangers…
It just wouldn’t be possible to leave NWA out of any hip hop A-Z, but that’s not to say that they’re out of duty. For better or worse – usually for better, hip hop just wouldn’t be hip hop without them. I was always an Express Yourself fan over Straight Outta Compton though…
The Notorious BIG, what’s to say? The king of punch lines with a dynamite flow – he found space to drop a syllable where any other MCs would need to take a breath. He’s just got track after track that you think is his best, and you notice something more on every listen. IF you don’t know, now you know…
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