N.A.S.A – Spirit of Apollo. ‘Houston, we don’t have a problem here’
I’ll be honest; there hasn’t been a lot in the world of hip hop that has grabbed my attention lately. I’ve listened to plenty of albums, some good, some not so good, but none that have really made me want to listen again and again. Then came ‘The Spirit of Apollo’, the innovative and funky debut effort from two creative producers who call themselves N.A.S.A. Comprised of Sam Spiegel (aka Squeak E. Clean, brother of Spike Jonze) and Ze Gonzalez (aka DJ Zegon), N.A.S.A first attracted my attention with their almost bizarre collection of collaborations; the prospect of Talking Heads frontman David Byrne trading verses with the likes of Chuck D, Chali 2na and Gift of Gab, The RZA sharing a track with John Frusciante, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard rhyming with the taunting Karen O of trendy Yeah Yeah Yeah’s fame, was obviously intriguing, and certainly refreshing  in what has become a slightly stale game.

A common love of Brazilian funk (N.A.S.A. is an acronym for North America/South America) led to Spiegel and Gonzalez forming the joint venture and starting work on what is one of the trendiest and most innovative releases for some time.  Think Handsome Boy Modelling School, but with a bit of South American flair, complete with its own solid collection of impressive names from across the hip hop playground, and a few from outside it even! And the Duo has their fingers on the pulse, the pairing of production to MC’s is spot on; from the poppy electro-tinged “Gifted”, featuring Kanye West and Santogold, to the dark drums and gritty electric guitar loop on RZA’s track (not to mention the eerie wailing of Barbie Hatch), N.A.S.A appear to have set out to create the perfect beats for the artists on each track. Even the odd combinations are enjoyable; this is none more evident than in “Spacious Thoughts”, which sees abstract verbal warfare from Kool Keith paired off against the bizarre growl of Tom Waits on the chorus.

N.A.S.A – Way Down feat. The RZA, Barbie Hatch and John Frusciante

Before N.A.S.A came along, Santogold and Spankrock were among the last two discoveries that had sparked my interest with any significance. Pleasingly, both appear on this album! Diverse artists as far as hip hop goes, their combination on the upbeat electro-hip hop banger “Whatchadoin?” will have you dancing for sure.  Spank Rock bounces through his verses with M.I.A and Santogold chanting the catchy sing-a-long chorus together; easily one of my favourite tracks. Santogold also appears on “Gifted” with Kanye, one of the other standouts on the album, although soon to be a radio nuisance I’m sure. Love him or hate him though, this is a very catchy track, perfect for Mr West’s style. Ol’ Dirty Bastard shouts out to N.A.S.A from the grave in one of my other favourites, “Strange Enough”.  Apparently the last track he recorded (uh… heard that before…), Spiegel and Gonzalez have done Dirt Dog proud with a huge head-nodder to go with his trademark  killer rhyme style, with strong support from Fatlip and Karen O on the hook. Chali 2na pops up twice, and although he’s possibly getting a bit stale (and I’m a big fan of his!), produces a great party track with the legendary George Clinton, who was apparently in an ‘altered state of mind’ (are we surprised?….).

N.A.S.A – Gifted feat. Kanye West, Santogold and Lykke Li

I could go on all night here; track with Method Man worth mentioning, Ghostface kicks it with The Cool Kids, Del is back in funky style joined by DJ Q-Bert, and the two tracks with David Byrne from Talking Heads are again really strong tracks. This production combination has definitely got it down right here, tight tracks with the perfect rappers, singers and musicians on them; this album, having taking 5 years to complete, was obviously a labour of love that has paid dividends for the Duo. In addition to the album, the group intends to release a full-length documentary film of the making of the album including interviews with the guest who featured on the album, and  behind-the-scenes footage from the studio sessions, check a sneak-peek here for a bit more of an insight into this amazing project:

N.A.S.A. – Spirit of Apollo trailer

This is a very clever album from N.A.S.A., just when hip hop was losing its grip a little bit (well, for me anyway) comes an album that will appeal to hip hop fans from across the entire genre, and no doubt a few on the edge as well (we’ve all got friends who ‘don’t listen to hip hop’…);  infamous well proven hip hop artists like Del, KRS-One, some Wu-Tang royalty and Pharcyde fam mix it up with modern musical heavyweights Kanye West, Santogold and Karen O, not to forget legends outside the hip hop realm such as George Clinton, David Byrne and Tom Waits. Without straying too far from their love of Brazilian funk, N.A.S.A combine indie, hip hop, funk an d rock with ease, and overwhelmingly succeed in their debut mission of bringing artists from across the musical spectrum together to create something fresh and different.

And the good news continues, with N.A.S.A having recently announced an Australian tour this June! Given the impressive array of names on their album, one will wait in anticipation until phrase ‘international guests to be announced’ is fulfilled. Complete with orange spacesuits, four turntables and an impressive visual display as well, N.A.S.A’s live show has a big reputation so it’s sure to be one to catch!

N.A.S.A tour dates:
Thursday 4th June: SYDNEY, Oxford Arts Factory
Friday 5th June: MELBOURNE, The Esplanade Hotel
Saturday 6th June: PERTH, Shape Nightclub
Sunday 7th June: CANBERRA, Winter Warehouse Festival

Catch more of N.A.S.A at:

www.myspace.com/nasa

…Crack

So it is now official: there is no such thing as “genres”. They were just generic classifications used to put music into arbitrary categories with stuff that sounded similar. Well these are now all outdated. The proof comes in the form of Sola Rosa’s diverse new offering ‘Get It Together’, which was recently released as the follow up to the 2005 masterpiece ‘Moves On’.

Sola Rosa has grown and developed over the years since beginning as essentially a one-man project,  started by New Zealand DJ/Producer Andrew Spraggon in 1999.  He has overseen the expansion to a fully-fledged band capable of powerhouse performances, both live and in the studio. There is a strong Latino personality and feel to the album, but it encompasses a wide and varied range of genres, which all seem to compliment each other perfectly.

Giving you the equivalent of a good mix CD or compilation album, except all the music is from the same band. Guest contributors from around the globe also add their influence, including Spikey Tee (Jah Wobble, Bomb the Bass, etc.); German globetrotter, poet and singer Bajka; UK MC Serocee; and emerging Wellingtonian songstress Iva Lamkum, who features on the new single Turn Around (which you can watch just below).  Because music is sound (and highly subjective) it’s better for you to sample it for yourself rather listen to a description, so go check out the official band site (links at the bottom).

This is an album balancing both organic and electric elements, that are fused with precision and intensity. Mixing effortlessly between all kinds of funky sounds the album incorporates parts of dub, hip hop, lounge, jazz and whatever else can help set the scene. It even includes a song that sounds like the next James Bond theme. The results of the flexible production is a eclectic mix of brilliant songs. ‘Get It Together’ is about as upbeat and party-friendly as you can get, while always remaining smooth and composed in a laid back jazzy style, it all ends up sounding like a party on a beach in South America, and everyone is invited!

Find out more about the diverse mixture of sounds from:

The band’s official website

‘Get It Together’ Album Website

Strickly uptown living
…Yossarian

I like to think that I know a little bit about the history of the hip hop generation, the crossover of styles that had ignited to form a powerful new genre, and now the manipulation into sub genres which we haven’t even had time to name.

It’s been an explosion that has taken place over a few decades now, and I finally get to read what I feel is the best summary to date; Jeff Chang’s novel, ‘Can’t Stop Won’t Stop’.

Recommended by a friend from the b-girl breaking side, it covers all facets of b-boy and hip hop culture and also the the world view it has created. From the breakers, the graphers, the dj’s, and of course centre stage today… the emcee’s, rightfully this book does well to stay true to the origins of hip hop in the dj, from the transformation of reggae tracks onto dubplats in Jamaica, the flight of this new culture and idea in Kool Herc to the notorious New York Bronx, and its not so eventual viral like spread throughout the world… Can’t Stop Won’t Stop fills in so many of the blank’s of the experience of ‘being there’ that my generation of appreciators can only envisage or feel through reminiscing.

Profiles – Jeff Chang author of ‘Can’t Stop Won’t Stop’

Right now i’m just hitting talk of the days of NWA right after Public Enemy have been making waves, and already I have learned so much and come to understand so many re-occurring themes that I’ve heard over my years of listening. The actual happenings taking place in America lead me to thinking, how could we ever have an Australian or New Zealand hip hop culture that we could truly call our own. Are the off shoots of hip hop in countries around the world a homage to the original, or are they creations of their own right. Hopefully by the end of this book I will be have more light to shed on the future of the scene, but if I come up short Jeff’s got a follow up on that very topic.

For someone who doesn’t read all that much, I can recommend this book to anyone who is interested in hip hop cultures origins, and until i’m finished reading this book, I Can’t Stop, and I Won’t…

finish it in a cheesy way like that.

you can check out more of Jeff Chang at:

www.cantstopwontstop.com

…bs

Salutations my peoples, as some of you will already know, we are developing a fuller site with a ‘community area’ being created. This area will have a fullish set of resources from where to learn, see, play, collaborate with other appreciators and educators of music, art, and our slice of culture. One of the additions that we will be lucky enough to have is from an American man named Vernon Andrews whom I met back at Canterbury University while I was studying there in the early 2000’s. I was studying Law and Finance myself, so you can imagine my surprise when I heard that there was a new guy taking a class under the banner of ‘American Studies’ called ‘Hip Hop Culture’…

I was like “what the F**K?”

so my accounting (or maybe it was statistics) studies suffered a little because even though I wasn’t enrolled in this course, I was sure enough sitting in that class with all of the other kids, and I could tell that I wasn’t alone in this by the number of people who were chilling out in the lecture hall stairways and standing areas.

So Vernon has kindly agreed to contribute some materials for the site when it is developed which can help those who wish to trace some of the roots and deeper meanings of this culture. I’m really looking forward to this area being uploaded and people being able to check out the amazing work he has put together over some time, and I am really happy to present a first piece as an introduction to what you can expect in the future…

The following exert is: Andrews on Whiteness and EMINEM in 8-Mile, 2008

While there have been key white figures in the history of producing, managing, marketing and rapping – witness the Beastie Boys, Vanilla Ice, 3rd Base, House of Pain and other “popular acts”, in addition to the many “underground acts” – no white artist has had quite the same effect on hip-hop and popular culture as Eminem. EMINEM (in all caps here, but not to follow) has managed – and been managed – to have staying power.

Eminem has teamed with Dr. Dre, or more appropriately, Dre has “discovered” Eminem, and together they have made millions. Indeed, Eminem has gone on himself to “discover” other acts such as 50 Cent. Eminem is now a “brand” as they say these days (don’t get me started on the All Blacks) and has successfully marketed himself to a broad international audience. Anger fuels his staying power, in addition to clever rhymes, “taking the piss” out of himself, and always reflecting on his whiteness and “outsider” status as, in his own words, “trailer trash.” In addition to being white, he also dies his hair blond – just in case we might have any doubt about his Caucasianess.

Eminem also has the ability to reach – to identify with — a broad swatch of middle-class America that other rappers might be “too black” for. In this sense, Eminem has almost become like the typical rock-and-roll rebel white youth can identify with without being considered a “wanna-be” (black). He has a white mother, a white father and a white outlook on the country. This is not to take anything away from his affiliation with the poor, with his association with blackness or with his skill as a rapper. But he has the ability to relate to angry white youth in a way African Americans can not.

One problem – some might say the biggest problem – white youth have in suburbia is not only fitting-in in high school, but also family dramas. I have long held that most contemporary American films lead to one theme – Family. More to the point, the re-unification of broken families (look at any disaster film and you will get the point, “where’s little Jimmy?” “We’ve got to save little Amy!” “Honey, I am coming to get you – I love you!” are common refrains that can be seen in 99% of disaster movies, and at least 80% of all other films. Don’t get me started…). In this sense, Eminem has latched on to this subterranean angst in America (American Beauty won the academy award because it perfectly encapsulated the imperfection of families in beautiful suburbs; Desperate Housewives is running with the plot) and used it to his advantage. He sings often about little “Haley,” his break-up with his ex-girlfriend (and getting back together, and breaking up again), and his love/hate relationship with his mother. Name an African American rapper who speaks as much about family dramas?

This is not a criticism. Rather it is a reflection on the differing themes of artists that might have to do with location, race, class and social dramas. After all, it would ring hollow to many if Eminem were to wax on forever about being harassed by the cops, denied jobs, and having family members on crack. Just like the Tui ads, people would say, “Yeah, right.” He does, however, touch upon the number one suburban socially acceptable dysfunction – alcoholism (via his mom). In noting this problem he is tapping into an identifiable and easily recognizable problem for white youth to relate to. And I should say it is not only about suburban whites; Eminem relates to poor whites also. If I was a poor white guy of 17 years, I’d think Eminem was a good rebellious figure for me to attach my image to without being considered a “sell-out” or “whack.”

8-Mile

In the film “8-Mile,” Eminem is shown “pre-Dre” in his early days of trailer-park living and being bullied by black rappers who whites can easily tag as “racist” for harping on the young Marshal Mathers’ whiteness. This must present at least a little cognitive dissonance for young whites who have been raised to be opposed to racism – and now seeing their new hero attacked because of, well, his race. The film, I believe, attempts to neutralize this by presenting “good blacks” – Eminem’s friends and associates who are “down” with him. The net effect, I believe, is the feeling that the protagonist has had to overcome many hurdles to achieve in the tough world or rapping, and not the least of his hurdles is that he is bullied and beaten-up. Any young male is very familiar with this theme – suburb or not – as it is a fear all youth between 10 and 18 must negotiate in adolescence. Taking a beating and – at the same time – protecting your family from any harm (he ushers his sister into the house and away from danger) is, once again, the age-old theme coming forth.

In addition, another theme of the film is to answer the unspoken question: “Why should I care about a white rapper? Who is this guy?” In this sense, the film is a stroke of genius. We feel (before the film) that rap music is by the poor, the black, the male, and the downtrodden. That represents the “authentic.” Many of our readings this semester have reflected this theme, in addition to our discussions in class. So how does Eminem authenticate himself? How does he prove he is not just the next Vanilla Ice – posing and faking and in it for the short-term cash (nothing wrong with that, by the way). He gets a beat-down, works in a factory, picks-up the hot woman, lives poorly, hangs out with black folks (and for good measure, another white guy), gets nervous before going on-stage (and thus is human and not super-cool), broods like James Dean (1950s film star known for his quietness and staring off into space), and – here it is – becomes blacker and more authentic than the black guy he’s rapping against!

This is the focal point of the film – the final rap battle. Herein we see the plot building and coming to the fore – we know that Eminem will be dissed as a shallow white boy in the final battle – so why not go ahead, Eminem says, and diss myself – taking all of the ammunition away from my opponent? This is an old debate trick we leaned back in my undergraduate days.

If you are to debate on a key issue in competition, then figure out your weakest points – and your opposition’s weakest – and use them in your own speech! It is called “stealing thunder.” If I know your strongest weapon I will try to take that away from you. Once your enemy does this, they have won a psychological battle. Eminem thus “outs” his rival as being from the suburbs, middle-class, from a two-parent home and a private school and with a white-boy’s name and with, basically, no real authenticity. Indeed, Eminem goes on to paint himself as poor, white, trailer-trash from the bad part of town and thus, really, more authentic than many black rappers who consider themselves “down.” Genius, pure and simple. Academy award, big bank, big career. Of course, one has to have the lyrics to back up all this on-screen drama, but I think he pulls it off well.

You can check out more hip hop culture from Vern when we upload the site in early 2009

…bs

Common, the artist formerly known as Common Sense, has released his eighth studio album ‘Universal Mind Control’ opening the album with the title track advising, “This is the new [stuff] and it don’t feel the same.” so it will be interesting to see which way he has gone with this album. Produced mostly by Neptunes super producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, it’s surprising Common has time to continue to pump albums out at the rate he does with his Hollywood career seeing him in a long line of successful and not so successful films over the last few years.

Common - Universal Mind Control on the Jimmy Kimmel show

Electro beats appear to be the thing this year with Common and some of his friends like Kanye West adding a robotic sound and breakbeat edge to their beats, something that may not go down so well with old school aficionados, but at the same time could open up their appeal to a whole new market of dance music fans. Another massive change in his lyrics stand out too going from an advocate of equality and respect for women to a kind of horny school boy (again much like Kanye). After enjoying Common’s music for so long, usually with a down to earth twist on hip hop rapping about the realities, struggles, and beauty faced by everyday people, it’s hard to adjust to a more glamorous, party boy theme that he seems to have going lately, kinda begging the question also if his transition is for musical exploration or mass appeal.

An artist like Common, who has given so much to the art and culture of hip hop deserves the chance to branch out, and i’m going to listen to ‘Universal Mind Control’ a few times before passing final judgement on it, but there is one thing that he and I can agree on for sure…

“This is the new [stuff] and it don’t feel the same.”

Common feat. Lauryn Hill – Retrospect for Life

You can check out more of Common at:

www.common-music.com

www.myspace.com/common

…bs

Can he kick it again?

Yes he can… after 9 long years, Q-Tip a.k.a. the brother Abstract, has hit back with another solo album entitled ‘The Renaissance’. Q-Tip continues to reinvent himself as well as the benchmark for lyricists throughout the world and has taken his place on the world stage as one of the fathers of modern Hip Hop. Giving so much to the Hip Hop scene through various solo projects, groups including A Tribe Called Quest and more recently The Standard with friend and collaborator Common, & a string of hit features from the late eighties, the mere mention of Q-Tip’s name is enough to interest this fan in this new release, but if that’s not enough, he’s brought along some awesome collaborations on the album including D’Angelo, Norah Jones, & Raphael Saddiq to name a few. Speaking to www.okayplayer.com this week Q-Tip explained the 9 year pause between solo albums… “I think I can speak for myself, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and D’Angelo when I say that we make music when the spirit is with us. We are a lot who are very observant as well as introspective. We paint intense, colorful pictures, so it takes time.” If it was anyone else comparing  themselves to these amazing, iconic, soulful artists I would just laugh at their arrogance, but it’s not anyone else, it’s Q-Tip, and no-one belongs on your lips in this context more then he does.

Q-Tip Gettin Up

Having re-united A Tribe Called Quest this year for the incredible ‘Rock The Bells’ tour, Q-Tip has dispelled the rumours that they are set to reform permanently on this album with his track ‘A Tribe Called Quest is no more’. Heart breaking although it may be, at least we can continue to bump fresh music as he continues to create his own style of jazz infused, introspective, old school hip hop. This pioneer has paved the way for hip hop to be enjoyed by all walks of life, meshing with so many artists of as many genres in his partnerships over the years, and ‘The Renaissance’ seems to offer the same diversity and creativity as always, opening up the doors even further for hip hop as it fast becomes a dominant force in the music industry.

Q-Tip - Let’s Ride (from his debut solo album Amplifier)

You can check out more of Q-Tip at:

www.q-tip.com

www.myspace.com/qtip

…bs

Who says Hip Hop needs to be political to send a message? How many Hip Hop performers can you say truly advocate the feeling of ‘fun’? I’m sure there are a dozen you can name off the top of the dome and this writer would probably agree. But no one does it for me like Double K and Thes One, aka People Under the Stairs (PUTS).

For the last 10 years, Hip hop has been truly blessed with two of the hardest working MC’s/Producers/DJ’s on the planet. Just like the first paragraph states, these guys are all about fun and that feeling will resonate while listening to any of their 6 albums, especially the latest joint, ‘FUN DMC’. PUTS have successfully illustrated a Hip Hop based memory book of the good times which we can all relate to.

This album (FUN DMC) is an album full of tributes, not only to their heroes but tributes to what makes life worth living. From BBQ’s to video games to having a baby, PUTS have laid out another classic feel good album full of smooth production laced with witty lyricism. They also keep some inside references for the seasoned hip hop veteran by putting their own spin on classic lines and samples from the likes of Busta Rhymes, Beastie boys, Dre & Snoop etc.

I think the best tribute of the album is to Australia (NZ gets a mention too) on the track “The Wiz”. My favouritism stems from my bias as a Kiwi living in Australia which I’m sure you understand. Double K summed it up with “Shout out to my Kiwis, The whole Southern Hemisphere, LAX can wait, yo mate I’ll take another beer”. Fuck yeah!

People Under The Stairs – The Wiz

Without padding this review out with superfluous quotes and track info, I’ll leave you with this. If you are looking for an album to play this summer that captures the essence of a party, makes you wanna dance and reflect on how good life is, then you’ve found a winner in ‘FUN DMC’. You can always rely on People Under The Stairs to deliver a fulfilling array of tunes, characterised by the old school hip hop aesthetic, that you’ll play again and again and again….

You can check out more from People Under The Stairs at:

www.myspace.com/peopleunderthestairs

…Will

Last Thursday night in Melbourne, we were lucky enough to finally see one of New Zealands leading bands, Kora, perform at Hi-Fi Bar. With a reputation as a must see live act spreading thoughout Australia, New Zealand, and more recently Europe, and having listened to the music they have been releasing over the last 6 years, we were intrigued as to how they would live up to the expectations we had.

It’s worth noting the callibre of artists coming out of New Zealand, especially in their live performances, when considering their reputation as one of New Zealand’s best. The bar has been set in more recent times by such a strong aray of NZ’ers such as Fat Freddy’s Drop, Katchafire, The Black Seeds, Olmecha Supreme, Che Fu, and countless other musicians. Set to this backdrop this comparison was always going to be difficult to deliver on… but deliver they did.

From the cheeky, playful performance they brought to Hi-fi Bar, it was no surprise to learn that some of Kora’s members have studied performing arts, with as little as the raise of an eyebrow causing the audience to erupt into screams all evening. These four brothers (literally) and “one token white guy”, as they described themselves, kept the mojo flowing all night, even into the second encore the audience demanded.

Kora live in Whakatane

Even in Australia’s music capital, Melbourne, it’s unusual to attract sell out shows on a Thursday night, but this prominent live venue in the heart of the city was stretched to it’s 900 capacity, including the 16th step where we were chilling out with our champagne (apologies to the guy we spilled a little bit on… twice… sorry bro).

Our group, which at the beginning of the evening was filled out with Kiwi’s, Aussie’s, Americans, Dutch, and English, among others, united at the close of the evening to sing the crowds obviously favourite track “Politician”, only re-enforcing the universal appeal which has recently seen them receive offers from Europe and further abroad.  We all left the concert with a new must see group, hoping that the recent success won’t take away our opportunities to see them locally on Thursday nights if their fan base continues to grow at the rate it has been.

Kete Aronui – an insight into Kora

They talked the talk,

They walked the walk,

and they brought us comfort…

You can check out more of Kora at:

www.kora.co.nz

www.myspace.com/koraroots

…bs & Miss Peti

If you haven’t heard the name Paris Wells yet, then prepare to be blown away. Having just released her brilliant debut album, Keep it, as well as already building a strong following for her powerful live shows, this hugely talented Melbourne local is getting ready to take the world by storm. The album is a fantastic array of infectious pop anthems laced with everything from jazz, funk, disco and soul, highlighting her sublime versatility. We here at Very Good were lucky enough to have Paris lend us some of her time to answer a few questions, check it out.

Hi Paris, thanks for taking the time to do this for us. First things first, tell us a little about your background; who is Paris Wells and what influences her?
Well I’m actually half mermaid and half human. My childhood was in Maroubra NSW and my teens in Melbourne Bayside. Aside from my continuing emotional journey with relationships both romantic and platonic, my influences are 60 folk, 70’s disco, 90’s hip hop and great rock bands like Razorlight, Zombies etc.

The new album is sensational, how has the response been so far?
Why thankyou! Critically I am greatful for the reviews, Dan from Rolling Stone gave it a real honest review an I agreed with everything he said. Fans have picked up on it on all different levels which is great. To have girls approach me with what each song meant to them and how it helps them is an amazingly rewarding feeling! The whole response gives me so much encouragement to back this record up with an even better second album!!!

The album is really dynamic mix of genre’s; from the disco-inspired “Firetruck Man” to the soulful and jazzy “Tender”, is there any style that you particularly prefer? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Sonically we were aiming for a modern/vintage fusion of sounds. Ryan and I choose my musicians carefully along with microphones and synths etc. We both have a strong relationship with beat culture and I wanted to keep that consistent in the songs. Lyrically it speaks for itself and for myself, my heart is on that album for the world to see.

The versatility on Keep it indicates that you would be likely to gel with a wide range of artists across a handful of different genres; are there any artists or groups in particular that you would like to work with?
Dream Collaborations 101:

Damon Albarn
Jamie Lidell
Cassius
Mike Patton
Goyte

Recently your live shows have gained quite a reputation, what do fans get when you’re on stage?

All of me with clothes on but sometimes no shoes. And a huge sound!

Any plans for more shows soon? Coming into summertime, you’d be looking at a festival or two perhaps?

Shhhhhh you will have to wait my friend…..

Your sound has been compared to the likes of Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones and Alice Russell, how does this sit with you? Are these artists that you respect musically?

They are three of the most amazingly gifted vocalists in contemporary popular music, just to buy them a coffee would make my day let alone be compared to the likes of them. Amazing!

RHyNo of True Live has obviously been a factor in your success, what does he bring to your sound? Does he produce the whole album?

Yes Ryan and I are a team. My sound that the public now know is a hybrid of our tastes combined. I think he expressed himself in KEEP IT just as much as I did, he is super proud.

How was the experience of supporting Justin Timberlake on his Australian and New Zealand tour? Did he teach you how to bring sexy back?

No we were already dead sexy excuse me….Justin is the greatest, there is no stopping him.

Any final thoughts?

Fat kids are really hard to kidnapp and crabs shouldn’t be tied up in restaurants, tasty but they should at least get to swim before hand.

Thanks for your time Paris

“I’d step out of the rush for you”- Fat Freddy!
Peace. x

Paris Wells – Dat Du Dat
Keep it is out now, support local talent and pick it up from your local music store. And keep an eye out for Paris live somewhere near you over summer, we’ll do our best to keep you informed, you do not want to miss out.

You can check out more of Paris Wells at:

www.myspace.com/pariswells

…cracked

Back in the early years of high school I wasn’t much of a hip hop fan, bar the Snoop Dogg and Ice T cassettes i had dubbed off my friends older brothers. But after being introduced to the likes of Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples and Gangstarr, my interest grew. Enjoying the underground side of things, I sought more artists like these and managed to stumble across something that well and truly tipped the scales for me, one of the dopest underground albums of all time; ‘Masters of the Universe’, released in 2000 by Binary Star. Jam packed with clever metaphors, punchlines and rhymes that need to be studied, this album is a shining representation of what underground hip hop is. Uh.. hang on, what underground hip hop used to be, I should say; they don’t make ‘em like this anymore.

After meeting in prison, MC’s Senim Silla and OneManArmy (a.k.a OneBeLo) recorded and independently released their debut album, Waterworld. Only about 1000 copies were pressed and distributed in 1999, and in the following year it was remixed, remastered, and re-released, as ‘Masters of the Universe’. Despite only selling 20,000 copies, the album received wide acclaim and would be high on the list of any respectable underground hip hop fan. Unfortunately the two split after this was released, citing creative differences, and have never reformed. However, both artists have released solo material in recent years (Senim Silla – The Name, The Motto, The Outcome, OneBeLo – S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M) and feature on each others albums.

Although the strength of this album lies in its MC’s, the beat on the first track, “Reality Check”, is mesmerising. Strings blast out of the speakers followed by a piano loop that builds with an ominous presence, before it fades and lets the beat rock just long enough for them to flip it, laying down lush piano and harps with OneManArmy unleashing his first verse. And this verse is a great reflection of what the rest of the album offers; OneManArmy dropping countless witty punchlines and rhymes that will have you nodding your head (”Rodney King ain’t ever felt a beat like this”, “I’m bad to the bone but X-ray’s can’t even see this”). “Conquistadors” is up next with its simple but effective bassline and cracking snare. The duo exchange metaphors and battle raps enthusiastically, Senim Sillia setting the tone from the first lines with “Feel the rhapsody, fill this joint to capacity, Senim grab mics with pitbull tenacity”. He keeps the ball rollin with the first of his solo tracks on the album, “Slang Blade”, where he rips it for two and half minutes straight without a hook over one of the best beats on the album

The two MC’s have fun on “Binary Shuffle”, bouncing along over a pretty simple bouncing beat with them chanting;

“Do you want to hear about the money we got? (oh no!)
Talk about the people we shot? (oh no!)
Bragg on the clothes we wear? (oh no!)
Do you think what we saying’ is fair? (oh yea!)
Do my crew rock the mic for days? (oh yea!)
Do my crew keep it live on stage? (oh yea!)
Do Binary Star got the flow? (oh yea!)
Don’t these wack emcees got to go? (oh yea!)”

A track that starts off like that is always going to appeal to me, and its especially refreshing listening to it in this current hip hop environment. “Fellowship” sees Athletic Mic League and Decompoze “rock heads like Mt Rushmore” with the dynamic duo, in another head nodding beat with a funky bassline. Decompoze and Senim Silla shine on this track, both ripping their verses to shreds. The title track, “Masters of the Universe”, sees the duo rapping together as “The Two-Headed Dragon”, weaving in and out of each others rhymes at a quick pace. Yet another track that is full of memorable lyrics, you’ll need to listen to it several times before get it all.

One of my personal favourites is “Indy 500″, which only actually features Decompoze. This track is a salute to the underground, where Decompoze rhymes about making it big but staying independent and true to why you’re making your music.

“All we need is beats and rhymes to go and spark it,
As long as we got the underground yo, we got a market,
I don’t need a major to tell me how to run it,
cause my goal’s to win the Indy 500″

The track starts off with a sample from a movie that really sets the tone, before Decompoze enters, just speaking about the industry at first, until a gritty beat drops over a superbly mellow piano loop. Easily one of the best tracks of the album.

“Honest Expression” has Silla and OneManArmy deliver a dope commentary on keeping it real as an underground hip hop artist and staying true to the artform instead of telling lies just to sell records. The track starts with a fantasticly appropriate martial arts movie sample about “Honestly expressing yourself”, before the two MC’s come in together and lay down some of the most refreshing rhymes of the album:

Senim Silla:

“Dig – I’ma put it on the table,
I ain’t a thug nigga and playa, I ain’t playful,
I’m just Senim Silla, a man without label,
Standin’ on my own two just tryin’ to stay stable,
Speakin’ what I know to only what I’m able”

OneManArmy:

“I ain’t hardcore, I don’t pack a 9 millimeter,
Most of y’all gangster rappers ain’t hardcore neither,
Whoever get mad then I’m talkin ’bout you,
Claim you fear no man but never walk without crew”

I love hearing tracks like this, hip hop artists making hip hop for the right reasons. And doing so with a precision and skill that sees them easily capable of mocking those who are abusing the art form for its payout.

I’ve listened to many dope hip hop albums over the years, but I consistently struggle to find music that can match up to this. I could write all day about each and every song, as they are all pretty damn good, and all feature the trademark metaphor-heavy rhyme-style that will have you rewinding to catch lyrics often. Even after eight years in my possession, it still rates high on my playlists. OneManArmy and Senim Silla have an amazing chemistry, and through their creative wordplay and raw honesty they have created a true underground hip hop classic.

Anyway, times up.

Do hip hop a favour, don’t sleep on this if you haven’t heard it.

You can catch Binary Star at:

www.myspace.com/4003715

or at OneManArmy’s record label

www.subterraneousrecords.com

Peace

…cracked