GURU'S JAZZMATAZZ

GURU
JAZZMATAZZ, VOL. 1
AN EXPERIMENTAL FUSION OF HIP-HOP AND JAZZ (1993)
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Though it can reasonably be argued that rap grew almost directly out of funk and its particular beat, there are a lot of overlaps with jazz, particularly the bop and post-bop eras: the uninhibited expression, the depiction of urban life, just to name two. Jazz samples have also had a large role in hip-hop, but the idea of rapping over actual live jazz wasn't truly fully realized until Gang Starr MC Guru created and released the first in his Jazzmatazz series in 1993, with guest musicians who included saxophonist Branford Marsalis (who had previously collaborated with DJ Premier and Guru for the track "Jazz Thing" on the Mo' Better Blues soundtrack), trumpeter Donald Byrd, vibraphonist Roy Ayers, guitarist Ronny Jordan, and keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith, as well as vocalist N'Dea Davenport (also of the acid jazz group the Brand New Heavies) and French rapper MC Solaar. While Guru's rhymes can occasionally be a little weak ("Think they won't harm you? Well they might/And that ain't right, but every day is like a fight" are the lines he chooses to describe kids on the subway in Brooklyn in "Transit Ride"), he delves into a variety of subject matter, from the problems of inner-city life to his own verbal prowess to self-improvement without ever sounding too repetitive, and his well-practiced flow fits well with the overall smooth, sultry, and intelligent feel of the album. From Jordan's solo on "No Time to Play" to Ayers' vibes expertise on "Take a Look (At Yourself)" to MC Solaar's quick and syllabic rhymes on "Le Bien, le Mal," Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 (and what turned out to be the best of the series) is a rap album for jazz fans and a jazz album for rap fans, skillful and smart, clean when it needs to be and gritty when that's more effective, helping to legitimize hip-hop to those who doubted it, and making for an altogether important release.
(On February 28, 2010, Guru went into cardiac arrest and, following surgery, fell into a coma. He woke from the coma but died on April 19, 2010, after a long battle with cancer. R.I.P.)

1. Introduction
2. Loungin' (Featuring Donald Byrd)
3. When You're Near (Featuring N'Dea Davenport)
4. Transit Ride (Featuring Branford Marsalis)
5. No Time To Play (Featuring Ronny Jordan and D.C. Lee)
6. Down The Backstreets (Featuring Lonnie Liston Smith)
7. Respectful Dedications
8. Take A Look (At Yourself) (Featuring Roy Ayers)
9. Trust Me (Featuring N'Dea Davenport)
10. Slicker Than Most (Featuring Gary Barnacle)
11. Le Bien, Le Mal (Featuring Mc Solaar)
12. Sights In The City (Featuring Carleen Anderson And Courtney Pine)

HOUSE OF PAIN

HOUSE OF PAIN
HOUSE OF PAIN (1992)
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It's an album that ushered in an era of a thousand suburbanites drinking malt liquor, wearing U.S. Postal Service caps, and reawakening their Irish (or in some cases pseudo-Irish) heritage. And it's also the debut album that ushered House of Pain into the forefront of rap culture for a brief period of time. While it's unfair to expect a whole album's worth of quality material like the dynamite classic "Jump Around," there are some strong points on their eponymous debut that emulate the single's strength. Admittedly, there is a significant amount of filler and the topics du jour aren't exactly the most original in hip-hop, but the impact of such songs as "Jump Around," "Shamrocks and Shenanigans," and "Put on Your Shit Kickers" more than makes up for the filler. A debut for a group that showed immense promise that sadly wasn't fully realized.

1. Salutations
2. Jump Around
3. Put Your Head Out
4. Top o' the Morning to Ya
5. Commercial 1
6. House and the Rising Son
7. Shamrocks and Shenanigans
8. House of Pain Anthem
9. Danny Boy, Danny Boy
10. Guess Who's Back
11. Commercial 2
12. Put on Your Shit Kickers
13. Come and Get Some of This
14. Life Goes On
15. One for the Road
16. Feel It
17. All My Love
18. Jump Around [Pete Rock Remix]
19. Shamrocks and Shenanigans [Boom Shalock Lock Boom/Butch Vig Mix]

GORILLAZ

GORILLAZ
PLASTIC BEACH (2010)
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The Plastic Beach back story – colourful fluff about cyborg bassists, kidnapped singers and islands made of trash – might make you think the whole cartoon band conceit is wearing a bit thin. Listen, though, and it makes more sense than ever.
Only behind such a distracting smokescreen could Damon Albarn get away with conducting a project as sprawling, daring, innovative, surprising, muddled and magnificent as Plastic Beach: not just one of the best records of 2010, but a release to stand alongside the greatest Albarn’s ever been involved with and a new benchmark for collaborative music as a whole.
Not that you’d think that from the first couple of tracks. After a meandering, seagull-strewn string intro, Snoop Dogg phones in his contribution to lounge rap number Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach. You’d be forgiven for assuming Gorillaz had found their place as Damon’s token hip hop side project. Then, the first handbrake turn in what will be a head-spinning ride. White Flag opens as the world’s only Shinto Bollywood track before Kano and Bashy trade anti-war, anti-crime and anti-religion rhymes over trashy Casio beats. It’s the first of a plethora of jaw-dropping surprises on what might possibly be the least predictable album ever made.
From here Plastic Beach simply flies. Rhinestone Eyes (brilliant) is all 80s synths and M.I.A. skipping chants, first single Stylo (also brilliant) manages to merge Bobby Womack’s soulful croon and Mos Def’s raps into something resembling a Gary Numan or Grace Jones track from 1983, and Superfast Jellyfish (particularly brilliant) finds Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys delivering an OutKast-meets-The Rentals elastic pop bouncer in keeping with his colourful cartoon surroundings, right down to the trumpets that sound like a sad clown at the end.
The celebrity guests all step up to the raised bar. Lou Reed’s fragile turn on Some Kind of Nature is the kind of New York piano charmer he does best, and Mark E. Smith is a spectral, menacing presence on Glitter Freeze. But it’s when Albarn takes centre stage that Plastic Beach really thrills: Empire Ants is a trickling ballad to rank alongside Blur’s best, and On Melancholy Hill is a hazy pop gem with the sugary 80s sparkle of Strawberry Switchblade or early Lightning Seeds.
The scope and depth of Plastic Beach is staggering. For anyone frustrated that Blur never quite managed their White Album, look no further.

1. Orchestral Intro
2. Welcome To The World Of Plastic Beach
3. White Flag
4. Rhinestone Eyes
5. Stylo
6. Superfast Jellyfish
7. Empire Ants
8. Glitter Freeze
9. Some Kind Of Nature
10. On Melancholy Hill
11. Broken
12. Sweepstakes
13. Plastic Beach
14. To Binge
15. Cloud Of Unknowing
16. Pirate Jet

DE LA SOUL

DE LA SOUL
DE LA SOUL IS DEAD (1991)
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De La Soul burned out on their own hype fast, and their dark, strange second album is a counter-blast to their image and hip-hop culture: perverse, dissatisfied, sometimes brilliant, sometimes out of control. Occasionally it seems mean-spirited--the single "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)" finds them grousing about getting deluged by demo tapes, and "Kicked Out The House" is a nasty (if very funny) parody of hip-house. But no one's ever made a rap album that sounds like this. Sickly out-of-tune loops drift in and out; songs derail themselves with loud sneers, or give way to bizarre dialogues; Posdnuos and Trugoy chant together like the words have lost all meaning. The concept that ties the disc together---an imaginary radio station called WRMS--gives it an extra kick.

1. Intro
2. Oodles of O's
3. Talkin' Bout Hey Love
4. Pease Porridge
5. Skit 1
6. Johnny's Dead AKA Vincent Mason (Live from the BK Lounge)
7. Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"
8. WRMS' Dedication to the Bitty
9. Bitties in the BK Lounge
10. Skit 2
11. My Brother's a Basehead
12. Let, Let Me In
13. Afro Connections at a Hi 5 (In the Eyes of the Hoodlum)
14. Rap de Rap Show
15. Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa
16. Who Do U Worship?
17. Skit 3
18. Kicked Out of the House
19. Pass the Plugs
20. Not Over Till the Fat Lady Plays the Demo
21. Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
22. WRMS: Cat's in Control
23. Skit 4
24. Shwingalokate
25. Fanatic of the B Word
26. Keepin' the Faith
27. Skit 5

ART OFFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: MOSAIC THUMP (2000)
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After a hiatus from releasing albums De La Soul returned with this. And believe me it does not dissapoint. I dont understand why so many critics dismissed this album as a total failure, this is a good album and there are really only a few tracks that I find myself skipping through. Sure, Prince Paul didnt produce on this one but the beats are still good and, if this is not the second coming of DE LA SOUL IS DEAD, it is still better than 90% of the attempted comebacks by most Hiphop artists today.

1. Intro/Say R.
2. U Can Do (Life)
3. My Writes - featuring Tash & J-Ro
4. Oooh - featuring Redman
5. Thru Ya City - featuring D.V. Alias Khrist
6. I.C. Y'All - featuring Busta Rhymes
7. View
8. Set The Mood - featuring Indeed
9. All Good? - featuring Chaka Khan
10. Declaration
11. Squat! - featuring Mike D and Ad Rock
12. Words From The Chief Rocker - featuring Busy Bee
13. With Me
14. Copa (Cabanga)
15. Foolin'
16. The Art Of Getting Jumped
17. U Don't Wanna B.D.S. - featuring Freddie Foxx

BEASTIE BOYS

BEASTIE BOYS
TO THE 5 BOROUGHS (2004)
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Six years is a long time, about one-and-a-half generations in pop music and a fairly large chunk out of anyone's life, two sentiments that come into play on the Beastie Boys' sixth album, 2004's To the 5 Boroughs. When the Beasties last delivered an album, it was in the summer of 1998 as the Clinton impeachment scandal was heating up, and just as that sordid saga closed the curtain on the swinging '90s, Hello Nasty served as both a culmination of the New York trio's remarkable comeback and as a capper to the alt-rock boom of the '90s, the last album of the decade to capture what the '90s actually felt like. Not only is the political and cultural landscape of 2004 much different than that of 1998, the Beasties are a different band in a different position. They're no longer on the vanguard of pop culture, setting the trends and styles, nor do they embody their time; like it or not, the po-faced, humorless brooding of Coldplay and Wilco is an appropriate soundtrack to the drab, dark days of the early 2000s. No, the Beastie Boys are no longer groundbreakers; they're elder statesmen, operating outside of the fashions of the time. This has as much to do with maturity as it does with changing times. Now that Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D are all nearly 40, they're not as interested in being the world's hippest group, as evidenced by their abandonment of their Grand Royal empire at the turn of the decade, and that suspicion is borne out by To the 5 Boroughs. Like many musicians at middle age, the Beasties are a little set in their ways, ignoring modern music nearly entirely and turning to the music of their youth for sustenance. For the Beasties, this means heavy doses of old school rap spiked with a bit of punk, which admittedly isn't all that different from the blueprints for Check Your Head, Ill Communication, and Hello Nasty, but the attack here is clean and focused, far removed from the sprawling, kaleidoscopic mosaics of their '90s records. In contrast, To the 5 Boroughs is sleek and streamlined, with all the loose ends neatly clipped and tied; even the punk influences are transformed into hip-hop, as when the Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer" provides the fuel for "An Open Letter to NYC." Given the emphasis on hip-hop, it may be tempting to label Boroughs as an old-school homage, but that isn't accurate, since nothing here sounds like a lost side from the Sugarhill Records stable. Still, old-school rhyme schemes and grooves do power the album, yet they're filtered through the Beasties' signature blend of absurdity, in-jokes, and pop culture, all served up in a dense, layered production so thick that it seems to boast more samples than it does. Apart from an explicit anti-Dubya political bent on some lyrics, there's nothing surprising or new here, and the cohesive, concise nature of To the 5 Boroughs only emphasizes the familiarity of the music. Familiarity can be comforting, though, particularly in troubled times, and there's a certain pleasure simply hearing the trio again after six long years of silence, particularly since the Beasties are in good form here, crafting appealing productions and spitting out more rhymes than they have since Paul's Boutique. If there are no classics here, there's no duds, either, and given that the Beasties' pop culture aesthetic once seemed to be the territory of young men, it's rather impressive that they're maturing gracefully, turning into expert craftsmen that can deliver a satisfying listen like this. That's a subtle achievement, something that will likely not please those listeners looking for the shock of the new from a Beastie Boys record, but judged on its own musical merits, To the 5 Boroughs is a satisfying listen.

1. Ch-Check It Out
2. Right Right Now Now
3. 3 The Hard Way
4. It Takes Time To Build
5. Rhyme The Rhyme Well
6. Triple Trouble
7. Hey Fuck You
8. Oh Word?
9. That's It That's All
10. All Lifestyles
11. Shazam!
12. An Open Letter To NYC
13. Crawlspace
14. The Brouhaha
15. We Got The

FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS

FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS
COME FIND YOURSELF (1996)
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A shallow but some times fun record for Tarantino heads. Well, that kind of sums it up really! Unfortunately the album never really reaches the heights of it's funky and danceable opener (The Fun Lovin' Criminal) or its very successful singles, but has its moments throughout and is a quite interesting mix of influences: Chicago Blues, rock, rap, country, Acid rock and no doubt all sorts of other sub genres. When they attempt to be serious (E.G. The Grave and the Constant, We Have All the Time in the World) you'll need to hit that skip button... Nevertheless, for its few good tunes (about half the album actually), this album is worth a try and remains a good source for party mixes.

1. The Fun Lovin' Criminal
2. Passive/Aggressive
3. The Grave And The Constant
4. Scooby Snacks
5. Smoke 'Em
6. Bombin' The L
7. I Can't Get With That
8. King Of New York
9. We Have All The Time In The World
10. Bear Hug
11. Come Find Yourself
12. Crime And Punishment
13. Methadonia
Bonus Tracks
14. I Can't Get With That (Schmoove Version)
15. Coney Island Girl

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION
R.A.F.I. (2000)
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On R.A.F.I., the Asian Dub Foundation further refines their sound, honing their blend of miscellaneous styles — ragga, jungle, dub, rock, hip-hop, rap — to a consistent aesthetic characterizing each of the songs and the album as a whole. Yet with this newfound consistency, part of the experimental ideology that fueled their breakthrough album, Rafi's Revenge, has been polished in favor of the evolved sound. If this album is less daring with its application of influence, it also benefits from this very lack of daringness by staying true to a common sound: fractured drum'n'bass rhythms, deep dub basslines, dancehall reggae rapping, revolutionary ideology, and rock accessibility. This album won't lead anyone to call them the next Rage Against the Machine, but it will satisfy anyone with a hunger for the group's truly patented sound.

1. Assassin
2. Change
3. Black White
4. Buzzing
5. Free Satpal Ram
6. Modern Apprentice
7. Operation Eagle Lie
8. Hypocrite
9. Naxalite
10. Loot
11. Dub Mentality
12. Culture Move
13. Real Areas For Investigation

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION
COMMUNITY MUSIC (2000)
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Anarchist Emma Goldman said, "if I can't dance, it's not my revolution." This sentiment lies at the core of Community Music. At the intersection of dub, punk, funk, reggae, dancehall, Bollywood, and political polemic you'll find Asian Dub Foundation. And you most certainly can dance to it. Community Music is thick with speaking Truth to Power while ADF storms the Bastille with an awe-inspiring musical ferocity and their crystalline political vision. The first half of Community Music is fierce and unrelenting in its musical influences, construction, and politics. From the thunderous opening cut, "Real Great Britain," you're left in no uncertain terms where the politics of ADF lie or how passionately they hold them. Sharp observations on the current state of capitalism, politics, and race in Britain form the focal point of the CD. The blistering exposé of police incompetence on "Officer XX" refers to the botched Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry, while set to a simple guitar and drum pattern. The stirring dub-electronic account of how second-generation immigrants to Britain have emerged both influenced and in turn influencing Cool Britannia, on "New Way, New Life," makes it one of their strongest songs to date. While on the opposite side of the same coin, "Memory War" illustrates that the immigrant communities are not a new form of British citizen, and their contributions must be included in the official histories of the island. The second half slows the pace gradually, stretching the musical genres further and encouraging dancing. "Crash" is a didactic dub reggae dance groove critique of global capitalism that blazes out in a frenzy of jungle drums and punk guitar. As an ode to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a seminal figure in the emergence of "Eastern" music to Western ears and one given a much-deserved shout-out by ADF, the piece "Taa Deem" has appeared in a slightly different version on Star Rise, a remix collection of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's material by a who's who of contemporary British Asian musicians. The shuffling dance grooves and rap of "Rebel Warrior" call to mind the Stereo MC's. A further illustration of their politics, if needed, by Assata Shakur, who is invited to give a personal account of her revolutionary beliefs, to "struggle because committed to life." Community Music ends with an expansive electronic dub coda. As "England's new voice," calling for intellectual self-defense and self- awareness ADF represents the potential future. Community Music should be in every thinking person's collection, directly between the Clash and Public Enemy.

1. Real Great Britain
2. Memory War
3. Officer XX
4. New Way New Life
5. Riddim I like
6. Collective Mode
7. Crash
8. Colour Line
9. Taa Deem
10. The Judgement
11. Truth Hides
12. Rebel Warrior
13. Commited to Life
14. Scaling New Heights
Bonus Track
15. Sawt l'Hekma (feat. Clotaire)

FUN-DA-MENTAL

FUN-DA-MENTAL
SEIZE THE TIME (1995)
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It's a severe pity the original lineup of the group didn't stick around long enough to record a full debut album, but one listen to the horrific phone message from a pissed-off bigot at the start of the album explains why it is any version of the band existed in the first place. Compared to the thrilling audacity of admitted inspirations Public Enemy at its finest, Seize the Time doesn't quite measure up — Aki Nawaz and engineer Graeme Holdaway aren't the Bomb Squad, and though Nawaz sure wants to sound like Chuck D, he just doesn't quite have the sheer heft and charisma. As a solid listen to conscious and wide-ranging hip-hop action from a different cultural context than America, though, it's more than successful. The use of an array of classical Indian musical samples, as well as Bollywood soundtracks and live contributions on tablas and flutes, acts as both statement of purpose and the basis of attractive new fusions that would gain more popularity throughout the '90s. Strong examples include "Dollars or Sense," riding over a deep, pounding beat and swirling string, vocal, and flutes, and the immediately following "Mother India," a shimmering, sitar- and orchestra-infused number with guest vocals from Subi Shah celebrating famous Hindi heroines. Meanwhile, the open celebration of Allah and Islam throughout the album — "Mera Mezab" makes for a defiant, proud statement of belief over a weird, attractively minimal throb that turns into a full-on jam — works other familiar hip-hop tropes and lyrical sentiments into a new lather. Compared to where later Anglo-Asian groups like Asian Dub Foundation would take Fun^Da^Mental and many other sources of inspiration, Seize the Time sounds like a product of its time, but it's still an inspired collection with much to recommend it.

Disc One
1. Dog Tribe
2. Seize the Time
3. Mera Mazab
4. President Propaganda
5. No More Fear
6. Dollars or Sense
7. Mother India
.

Disc Two
1. Mr. Bubbleman
2. English Breakfast
3. Bullet Solution?
4. Fartherland
5. New World Order
6. White Gold Burger
7. Back to Basix

GORILLAZ [REPOST]

GORILLAZ
GORILLAZ (2001)
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The Gorillaz claim to have found their motley crew of cartoon characters sleeping in Leicester Square, but Blur's Damon Albarn (a.k.a. 2-D) and cult cartoonist Jamie Hewlett (Murdoc) aren't fooling anyone. As the ultimate experiment in manufactured image, the Gorillaz are a virtual cartoon-character-based hip-hop band who bring together witty, silly lyrics and talented musicians. Infectious old-school hip-hop rhythms, rhymes, and effects courtesy of Deltron 3030's Kid Koala and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien (Russel) are combined with Albarn's passion for chugging lo-fi and edgy melodies to create a seemingly raw but ultimately slick blend of styles. This is nowhere more evident than on the hit single "Clint Eastwood," which is carried along by the sound of 2-D's slurred voice and a bluesy harmonica melody interrupted by Russel's punching rhymes. But the surprises don't stop there: Ibrahim Ferrer's appearance on "Latin Simone" could have come straight from Buena Vista Social Club but for the obvious Blur-influenced piano style, while the spooky intro to "M1 A1" wouldn't sound out of place on Michael Jackson's Thriller. Backed by Jamie Hewlett's death-wish character on bass, Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori (Noodle) on guitar and occasional hyperactive vocals, and produced by Dan "the Automator" Nakamura, it's hardly surprising that Gorillaz is marked both by a sense of playfulness and a passion for experimentation.

1. Re-hash
2. 5/4
3. Tomorrow Comes Today
4. New Genious (Brother)
5. Clint Eastwood
6. Man Research (Clapper)
7. Punk
8. Sound Check (Gravity)
9. Double Bass
10. Rock The House
11. 19-2000
12. Latin Simone
13. Starshine
14. Slow Country
15. M1 A1

...AND STILL NO HITS

...AND STILL NO HITS
NATION RECORDS: THE STORY SO FAR (1999)
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1999 compilation from one of England's late XXth Century most peculiar labels. Of course, the "big names" are here (TransGlobal Underground, Natacha Atlas, Asian Dub Foundation, Fun-Da-Mental) but the other artists are worthy of attention too. If you like ethno-techno, intelligent hip-hop and asian dub fusion, this certainly is a feast for the ears and the few rarities (mostly remixes) only serve to spice up the selection a bit.

CD 1
1. Temple Head - TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND
2. Valla Chant - NATACHA ATLAS
3. Crying Looking For You - LUNAR DRIVE
4. Clicksong - XANGBETOS
5. The Spectacle - YAM YAM
6. The Fusionist - TJ REHMI
7. E.S.Y. (Spring HeelJack Mix) - JOI
8. Change A Gonna Come - ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION
9. Dog Tribe - FUN-DA-MENTAL
10. Muthaland Funk (Fun-Da-Mental mix) - PROPHETS OF DA CITY
11. Cowboys And Indians (Locigal Mix) - PERMANENT REVOLUTION
12. Big Trouble In Little Asia - HUSTLERS HC
13. Break Voucher - SCHIZOID MAN
14. Planet Capetown (Mitchells Plain Mix) - PROPHETS OF DA CITY
.

CD 2
1. International Times (Lionrock Edit) - TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND
2. Duden (Spooky Day Trip To Sousse) - NATACHA ATLAS
3. Race2War - FUN-DA-MENTAL
4. Jericho (Capa D.Dub) - ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION
5. Yab Yum (Sabres Of Paradise Remix) - UZMA
6. Temple Of Hibiscus - PHLUIDE
7. Blue Bommer Dub - BLUE BOMMER
8. Aphrodite's Shoe - LOOP GURU
9. Mother India (Moody Boyz Strollin'Version) - MOTHER INDIA
10. Helicopter Kinda Girl (Baby Fox 'To The End Of The Kingdom' Mix) - AMBISONIC
11. Dopi - TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND
12. Dub Yalil - NATACHA ATLAS

ICE T

ICE T
RHYME PAYS (1987)
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Although this is not quite up to the level of subsequent Ice-T albums, this is still a classic album. My favorite cuts were the hardcore ones that previewed Ice-t's later career (6 in the mornin', Pain, Squeeze the Trigger), although the other cuts were also clever and entertaining, especially the title track and 409. No filler, except for the remixes at the end, but I only count the first 9 tracks as the real album. Pick this up, it is a must-have for anyone who enjoys real, intelligent rap and not the stuff that you see on MTV.

1. Intro/Rhyme Pays
2. 6 'N The Mornin'
3. Make It Funky
4. Somebody Gotta Do it (Pimpin' Ain't Easy!!!)
5. 409
6. I Love Ladies
7. Sex
8. Pain
9. Squeeze The Trigger
10. Make It Funky (12" Mix)
11. Sex (Bonus Beat)
12. Somebody Gotta Do it (Pimpin' Ain't Easy) (12" Mix)
13. Our Most Requested Record (Long Version)

CREDIT TO THE NATION

CREDIT TO THE NATION
TAKE DIS (1994)
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A fascinating if sometimes poorly engineered album, which focuses on the artists political views of anti-facism and world peace. There are certainly highlights including 'Teenage Sensation' and 'Call it what you want' the latter including a fantastic and clever use of the riff from Nirvana's Smell Like Teen Spirit. Sometimes however the overtone of politicism overshadows what is a genuinely talented band. Is it heavy on swearing but still seems to get their message across. Some people will love it, some will hate it, but if you have ever heard and loved a CTTN song, then the whole album will more than likely appeal to you.

1. Intro
2. Pressure
3. Hear No Bullshit
4. Lady Needs Respect
5. Raggamonarchy
6. Man-Made
7. Honey
8. Teenage Sensation
9. Teen Groove
10. Sowing the Seeds of Hatred
11. Filth
12. Rising Tide
13. Ole Him Selector
14. Money Talks
15. Call It What You Want
16. Puppet

FUN-DA-MENTAL

FUN-DA-MENTAL
EROTIC TERRORISM (1998)
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By the time Fun-Da-Mental reappeared with a second album proper, things were surprisingly different for Nawaz and company. Instead of Public Enemy, the touchstones were the Chemical Brothers and the Prodigy, aiming for a largely instrumental industrial/metal/hip-hop/techno sound that's not always as distinct or unique as the Seize the Time mélange. Perhaps the goal was to aim at a different audience, but it's not quite the result perhaps was intended. That said, everyone's still righteously pissed off, though music rather than the often-distorted vocals really is Erotic Terrorism's focus, and when the beats get really frenetic or creative, as on the blunt charge of "Demonised Soul" or the echoed rage and rave of "Furious," it's a treat. Nawaz seems to be a one-man band throughout, with only a bassist and banjo player otherwise credited, though he again works with Graeme Pickering as engineer. Various samples of Indian music again appear with regularity throughout Erotic Terrorism, but equally prominent are huge slabs of feedback and massive drumming and percussion loops. Where chanting and tablas have more of the focus, as on the soaring, inspirational stomp of "Ja Sha Taan," there's still a rough, low electronic undercurrent. Given Nawaz's own rock drumming background via groups like the Southern Death Cult, it's not too surprising to hear in context, just a bit of a jarring leap. Nawaz and Pickering actually do show a greater sense of drama and dynamics than before — sudden cuts between loud and soft passages create some effective moments throughout, while the grunts and children's cries on "Blood in Transit" are disturbing. Above all else, there's the overriding message of the fight against bigotry and oppression — as the horribly tasteless and racist old song that's sampled to start things off makes all too clear.

1. Oh Lord! (Devil Would Like a Word)
2. Demonised Soul (My Head Bus on a Hard Surface But I Could Never Hurt It)
3. Godevil (All Tainted by Wickedness)
4. Ja Sha Taan (Joo Ley Lal Mustt Qalander)
5. Blood in Transit (After Dinner Mints)
6. Repent (Not Repented Yet)
7. Deathening Silence (Thru Bloodless Birth My Being a Clone)
8. Furious (Cruatacean of the Sea, Organism of Dust)
9. See I a (Dust on Ants Feet)
10. Distorted C (All We Want)
11. One Ness (Dhann a Dhann)
12. Sliced Lead (Fill It With Lead)
13. Tongue Gone Cold (Grown to a Medical Specimen Paranoid Mad Careless Deviance)

PRAXIS

PRAXIS
PROFANATION:

PREPARATION FOR A COMING DARKNESS (2008)
320 KBPS

Given the dynamic history of the band's previous work, "Profanation" will surprise even the most devoted Laswell and Buckethead fans. That being said, this record takes a wide range of vocalists, instrumentalists, and genres of music and (in typical Laswellian fashsion) integrates them into a coheisive satisfying whole. Some of the stand out pieces are "Furies" (Iggy Pop), "Sulfer & Cheese" (Serj Tankian), "Ruined" (w/ Ruins drummer Tatsuya Yoshida), & "Babylon Blackout" (Otomo Yoshihide). There also seems to be some common themes running throughout the lyrics (and the cover art). Check it out for yourself and make the connection. My only real compliant is that Bootsy is not anywhere on the album...Now that is a real shame.

1. Caution
2. Worship
3. Ancient World
4. Furies
5.Galaxies
6. Sulfur and Cheese
7. Larynx
8. Revelations Part 2
9. Ruined
10. Garbage God's
11. Babylon Blackout
12. Endtime

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION
FACTS AND FICTION (1995)
320 KBPS

Asian Dub Foundation's album debut finds the band with their chops fully intact, even at this early date. Dr. Das' rapping flow is speedy and intricate, though continually inflected in the same ways (very reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha). The production and programming, by Steve Chandrasonic and Dr. Das, is the real highlight here, incorporating traditional Indian percussion and instruments, but constantly name-checking contemporary dance styles like bhangra and ragga jungle. The haunting vocals that open "Rebel Warrior" make it a highlight, while Chandra's deep drum programs provide continual thrills.

1. Witness
2. PKNB
3. Jericho
4. Rebel Warrior
5. Journey
6. Strong Culture
7. TH9
8. Tu Meri
9. Debris
10. Box
11. Thacid 9 [Dub Version]
12. Return to Jericho [Dub Version]

ICE T

ICE T
O.G. ORIGINAL GANGSTER (1991)
320 KBPS

One of gangsta rap's defining albums, O.G. Original Gangster is a sprawling masterpiece that stands far and away as Ice-T's finest hour. Taken track by track, O.G. might not seem at first like the product of a unified vision; perspective-wise, it's all over the map. There's perceptive social analysis, chilling violence, psychological storytelling, hair-trigger rage, pleas for solutions to ghetto misery, cautionary morality tales, and cheerfully crude humor in the depictions of sex and defenses of street language. But with a few listens, it's possible to assimilate everything into a complex, detailed portrait of Ice-T's South Central L.A. roots — the album's contradictions reflect the complexities of real life. That's why the more intelligent, nuanced material isn't negated by the violence and sexism — both of which, incidentally, are held relatively in check, with the former having been reshaped into a terrifying but inescapable fact of life. That isn't to say that O.G. Original Gangster is designed to appeal to delicate intellectual sensibilities; it's still full of raw, street-level aggression that makes no apologies or concessions. That goes for the music as well as the lyrics. The beats are a little too hard-driving and jittery to really breathe like funk, which only adds to the dark, claustrophobic feel of the production. Ice smoothly keeps up with the music's furious pace and also debuts his soon-to-be-notorious metal band Body Count on one track. That kind of artistic ambition is all over the album, whether in the lean musical attack or the urgent rhymes. O.G. Original Gangster is a certifiable gangsta rap classic, and arguably the most realistic, unvarnished representation of a world Ice-T was the first to chronicle on record.

1. Home of the Bodybag
2. First Impression
3. Ziplock
4. Mic Contract
5. Mind over Matter
6. New Jack Hustler
7. Ed
8. Bitches 2
9. Straight Up Nigga
10. O.G. Original Gangster
11. House
12. Evil E-What About Sex?
13. Fly By
14. Midnight
15. Fried Chicken
16. M.V.P.s
17. Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous
18. Body Count
19. Prepared to Die
20. Escape from the Killing Fields
21. Street Killer
22. Pulse of the Rhyme
23. Tower
24. Ya Shoulda Killed Me Last Year

BOO YAA T.R.I.B.E.

BOO YAA T.R.I.B.E.
DOOMSDAY (1994)
320 KBPS

The album Doomsday is the second offering by the group Boo Yaa TRIBE and is far harder than their first, New Funky Nation. Whereas New Funky Nation used more metaphore, Doomsday is much more in-your-face. The intro sets the tone: snippets of interviews to the sounds of the ticking of a time bomb interspersed with gunshots followed by a roll call of track titles, which is remeniscent of gang set roll calls from other underground CD's such as Flamin: B-Dawgs Come Better.
From there on, the tracks are truely gangsta orientated, with subtle mentions of their piru affiliation. Some tracks are more socially aware given the subject matter of the LA Uprising of 1992 (Shoot 'Em Down and Gang Related being examples). Ganxsta Ridd's vocals carry well over the beats, as do final verses on some of the tracks by Murder One.
What sets Boo Yaa out from any other West Coast group (or any rap group) interms of sound is that they are able to harmonise without the need for R&B guest singers and are also able to play their own instruments. This produces a sound very similar to the funk group War and is excellent.

1. Intro (2 Minute Warning)
2. Set Tripping
3. Kreepin' Thru' Yo Hood
4. Get Gatted On
5. Devil Can't Have Me
6. Doomsday
7. Janitor
8. Gangstas of Industry
9. Shoot 'Em Down
10. House Full of Ganstas
11. Put Dat on Something
12. Tribal Warfare
13. Mad Samoan
14. Gang Related
15. Kill 'Em All
16. Death Row California
17. Samoan Mafia

GORILLAZ

GORILLAZ
GORILLAZ (2001)
320 KBPS

The Gorillaz claim to have found their motley crew of cartoon characters sleeping in Leicester Square, but Blur's Damon Albarn (a.k.a. 2-D) and cult cartoonist Jamie Hewlett (Murdoc) aren't fooling anyone. As the ultimate experiment in manufactured image, the Gorillaz are a virtual cartoon-character-based hip-hop band who bring together witty, silly lyrics and talented musicians. Infectious old-school hip-hop rhythms, rhymes, and effects courtesy of Deltron 3030's Kid Koala and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien (Russel) are combined with Albarn's passion for chugging lo-fi and edgy melodies to create a seemingly raw but ultimately slick blend of styles. This is nowhere more evident than on the hit single "Clint Eastwood," which is carried along by the sound of 2-D's slurred voice and a bluesy harmonica melody interrupted by Russel's punching rhymes. But the surprises don't stop there: Ibrahim Ferrer's appearance on "Latin Simone" could have come straight from Buena Vista Social Club but for the obvious Blur-influenced piano style, while the spooky intro to "M1 A1" wouldn't sound out of place on Michael Jackson's Thriller. Backed by Jamie Hewlett's death-wish character on bass, Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori (Noodle) on guitar and occasional hyperactive vocals, and produced by Dan "the Automator" Nakamura, it's hardly surprising that Gorillaz is marked both by a sense of playfulness and a passion for experimentation.

1. Re-hash
2. 5/4
3. Tomorrow Comes Today
4. New Genious (Brother)
5. Clint Eastwood
6. Man Research (Clapper)
7. Punk
8. Sound Check (Gravity)
9. Double Bass
10. Rock The House
11. 19-2000
12. Latin Simone
13. Starshine
14. Slow Country
15. M1 A1

ASSASSIN

ASSASSIN
L'HOMICIDE VOLONTAIRE (1995)
320 KBPS

The easy comparison for Parisian hip hop act Assassin would be Public Enemy: both bands are firmly rooted into politics and used samples that aren't immediatly recognizables unlike most other hip hop artists. In that sense, comparing them is valid but it has to be said that Assassin, if they are as angry as Chuck D's posse, add some more relaxed moments to their 3rd release, L'Homicide Volontaire. Cooked up by DJ extraordinaire Doctor L (who will later pursue a career in melodic electronic music), Assassin's musics are a tad more varied than those of their american model were which makes this album a delight even for non-French speakers. Leading rapper here, Rokin' Squat, is the son of French actor Jean-Pierre Cassel and brother of other French actor Vincent Cassel which means he clearly did not come from the poor suburbs rap originally originates from. This has certainly influenced his writing as when he explicitly says it's better to read a book than burn a car or riot, or when he criticizes the objectification of women in our societies and in rap music in particular. Other themes are freedom of speech (Ecrire contre l'oubli), death (La flamme s'éteint) or relations between rich nations and the 3rd world (Guerre Nord-Sud) all of which are thoughtfully written. A great rap album.

1. L'homicide volontaire - Intro
2. Shoota Babylone
3. L'Odyssée suit son cours
4. L'entrechoque des antidotes
5. Légal ou illégal ?
6. " Ce sont des agitateurs ! "
7. Quand j'étais petit (la psychose infantile)
8. Pays extraordinaire
9. L'état assassine
10. A titre posthume
11. L'égocentrisme de l'Assassin
12. ??Radio?? (Undaconnexion)
13. Entre dans la classe
14. Problème ?
15. Guerre Nord-Sud
16. Undastand ?
17. La flamme s'éteint
18. L'objet
19. Atakamalak
20. Ecrire contre l'oubli