Money Earnin' Mt. Vernon (R.I.P. Heavy D)

(Youtube version is here.)

Premier Commits Sewaside

I don't have any Das EFX posts yet, so I figured I should make one. I mean, I'm not a HUGE Das EFX fan, but I've always liked 'em enough to pick up their albums as they dropped back in the day, and they definitely had some nice singles. But it's just one of those things where I look at the increasingly long list of artists featured on this blog in the right-hand column and see all these crazy names like Dr. T and the Klinic, Bobby Jimmy, Sabado Gigante, MC Frontalot, two entries for Tricky Nicky and so on... and none for the artists who've been basic hip-hop staples of the genre. I feels like I gotta patch some of these guys in. So here we go: Das EFX.

So the obvious choice would probably be to grab something off of Hold It Down, or maybe go ultra-purist and take it all the way back to their first single or two. But I figure I'll shoot somewhere for their more neglected zone, a dope single from their second album, Straight Up Sewaside. Straight Up Sewaside is interesting, because it did much better overseas... here in the US, most heads were already sick of their "diggity riggidy" gimmick and had written them off as copied and played out, one album wonders, even the source of punchlines by other MCs.

But before the days of the internet, kids in other countries didn't know know about their declining rep and still ate it up. I remember a segment, I think it was on Video Music Box, about how kids in Europe still loved Das EFX and considered them the #1 rap group, and it was like "wha?" We'd all moved on to The Wu-Tang Clan and didn't pay Das anymore mind. But those kids held them down long enough for the duo to re-invent themselves with the Premier-laced "Real Hip-Hop," and their Hit Squad association during the Erick and Parrish rivalry; so they got some of their buzz back. But Straight Up Sewaside is one that's usually left to the hardcore fans.

More interesting than most of the stuff from that album, though, is this little single. See, after their bigger singles off that album, "Baknaffek" and "Freakit," they snuck out one last single, a little more underground and actually one of the best in their whole careers: "Kaught In da Ak." It was already one of the better album tracks, darker and more serious - even "BakNaffek," which showcased a deliberately harder instrumental, was still full of "diggity wiggity" lines and references to Chris Kringle and Beavis and Butthead. This is more on some street shit:

"I check this nigga that I used to snatch jewels wit' back in the day; but nevertheless the kid's ass' slingin' gas to pay bills to afford some pills that kill stress."

Compare that to "Freakit:"

"Hot damn! I got more props than that Fox, Samantha. The hickety-dick slickest nigga wit the raps that sound nifty. Weight around a pound sixty."

...and it's no competition. The only pop culture reference they make here (if you can even call it that), is a comment on the infamous Tawana Brawley case.

But the real selling aspect of this one is the remix - an unheralded production by Premier that pre-dates their celebrated single "Real Hip Hop" by two years. The main "bomp bomp" sample sounds just like the stuff Premier would overuse in years to come, but it was fresh and new in '93. Plus, anyway, the way he chops the drums and lays in the more subtle elements (is that the sound of a toy laser gun laid in there?) sound great in any decade. And the way he starts the song off with the infamous "Bum-stiggidadee bum, stiggadee" vocal sample suggests Premiere was already consciously trying to move these guys away from their limiting reputation, or at least playing with it.

On the B-side, you get another album track, "It'z Lik Dat," and another exclusive remix. Again, it's another one of their better joints, with a darker, atmospheric beat and some more straight-up battle-style rhymes. The remix isn't by Premier this time, however, but by Solid Scheme, who also produced the original versions of both tracks, and most of the rest of EFX's stuff. It's okay, and a nice bonus; but in this case, the album version's better.

But even just the album version makes a nice companion piece to "Kaught In da Ak," two highlights from an otherwise forgettable album that's usually left to the hardcore fans. So even if you dismiss the group as generally being too corny, this is a respectable piece for your crates. ...And I apologize for the stupid pun in the title - couldn't help it. lol

Rap Artifact On Wax

A self described "archival record label" by the name of Numero Group has released the latest (ninth) 12" in their disco series, "Practitioner Of Rhymes" by Doc Rhymin'. Their first release was in 2006, so apparently they don't rush these things. Anyway, only a handful of these releases (four, I believe) are actually hip-hop records. And of those, only this one has (probably) never been released before on wax. The label speculates on their site, "we're comfortable assuming this came out on maxi-cassette in 1987."

This single comes from the vaults of a tiny Cleveland label, essentially a one-man recording store set up in the back yard, of Boddie Recording Company. After years of trying, Numero was able to persuade the widow of BRC's founder, Thomas Boddie, to let them release music he'd recorded from the 60's to the 80's - there's a terrific article on the whole story of the BRC here - including this one rap single.

So, here we have three practically unreleased songs by one virtually unknown MC. How is it? It's pretty good. It sounds super dated, but so much so that it might almost add to its appeal. The Doc rhymes like a simpler version of T-La Rock, and the beats are all super sparse, drum machine creations with no samples and lots of snare, echoey handclaps and reverb. They're so similar and his flow is so unchanging, that the three songs might as well be one long song, really, with the drum patterns just slightly changing around the 33% mark.

But they've got a great non-stop rappin' quality. dude doesn't even have hooks on his songs. He just kicks brag/battle raps with a respectable, hardcore delivery. Lyrically, by 1987 standards, he's actually pretty good - "Dictionary Rap" is an effective exercise in alliteration. Two of the songs, "No Title Can Describe" and "Dictionary Rap," also feature an uncredited female MC, who adds some welcome diversity to the proceedings. This isn't a great record - even if a lot more heads heard it in '87, they probably would've just ignored it in favor of more dynamic and exciting mainstream records. But if you want some no frills, no gimmicks, pure old school rap, this is it in spades.

Unfortunately, the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired. It's very flat and hissy. Fortunately, the music is simple and hard enough that it all comes through pretty okay, but it does rob the songs of a lot of their potential energy. I don't know if this problem roots back to how this material was originally recorded, if Numero Uno just did a poor job mastering this, or even if they just ripped this from a cassette. In any case, the music of Doc Rhymin' isn't likely to pop up a second time,s o get it while you can if you're interested.

Dracula A.D.

As any Hammer aficionado can tell you, Alucard is "Dracula" written backwards, the alias he uses when he returns in modern days - obvious, but still enough to defray suspicion from members of contemporary society who'd never suspect a centuries old vampire could in our modern times. The term comes up again and again in vampire lore, from anime to video games, and it always means the king of all vampires is not far behind. So, I'm just suggesting you might want to have a clove of garlic or two on hand before playing Alucard's debut album, Watch Them Fall.

Watch Them Fall dropped on Creative Juices in 2009. But many of you may've already been familiar with the album by then, as there was an earlier, "mixtape" version in 2008. Of course, it wasn't a real mixtape (or mixCD even), with a DJ expressing his artistry through blends, scratches, juggling, etc - it was one of those "we don't want to market it as a proper album" mixtapes all rappers put out these days, where they just cut out the 2 second gap between each song, stick it in a slimline case and declare it a mixtape so label politics, sample clearances, etc somehow won't apply. But I digress.

So, who is Alucard? Alucard is a Brooklyn MC who's been down with Creative Juices since the beginning, dropping guest verses or full-length songs to their compilations since the early 2000's. He also does most or all of their album covers, including, yes, this one. And Watch Them Fall isn't so much an all-new album, but a collection of his music from over the years, which could partially explain why the album's so uneven.

To be honest, he feels like a horrorcore MC who lacks the conviction to go full-fledged horrorcore, and instead hedges his bets by just acting thug whenever he's in danger of being ridiculed for breaking too far free of the generic rapper mold. So lots of horror references and samples, and lots of "I punch MCs in the face until I break my hands... I fuck your girl and let the rest of my boys molest her"-type lines. So he can wind up feeling like a budget Vinnie Paz (and let's face it, Vinnie Paz is already a budget Vinnie Paz). But also like Vinnie, he has some excellent, compelling production, so when Alucard gets it right, the combination can be a lot of fun. Plus, to be fair, Alucard's flow is a lot less clumsy than Paz's, and his rhyme schemes are more clever.

It's songs like "Hatchling" that make it all worth it. Producer Real 6 loops up the main theme to House By the Cemetery with a hook consisting of crazy quotes from the Werewolf TV series. And Alucard kicks a perfectly bugged out, creative rhyme:

"The metamorphosis mega-force exists
Complex transformation process
Fingers elongate, the song makes
Rivers split to form lakes
Inform hate, violence at high res
Creatures with hind legs
Develop inside eggs
Hatclings
With webbed toes and bat wings
That swoop down to the ground and catch things
Like grapplings
Swings back and forth with chains
From attached rings
And attack kings
Brooklyn-bound Stood on a cloud that floats five hundred feet above the ground
Lookin' down
???
Lick the MDA off the back of a slimy toad
And dread the windy road
Until the trail ends
Scorpion tail bends
You better have a strong stomach
When the storm cometh
My mouth opens and thousands of hornets'll swarm from it
Form current, leave patches
Heat rashes, deep gashes
I pull the arm from the shoulder until it detaches
And the bones snap like tree branches!"

So, it's a fun album. The lyrics are often engaging, and the production always is. There is one really annoying skit, that consists of a never ending George Carlin quote played over a beat for three minutes. But apart from that, it's good times, and there's plenty of good guest spots by Creative Juices regulars like IDe, Critical, UG (fittingly), Savage, Jise, etc.

So, the 2009 album is just the 2008 mixCD without the endings of all the songs clipped? No, actually not. The 2009 album adds five new songs, which is cool. But the album has 22 songs, and the mixCD had 23. Which means the mixCD has seven songs not on the final version - both versions have unique content. Now, I bet you're thinking, "if only there were a detailed breakdown of the differences between the two versions available online somewhere, so I knew which one was preferable." Man, what're you new to this blog? Sit down and read. ;)

Exclusive to the mixCD:

Oh No - This is a fun, upbeat freestyle produced by IDe. Nothing spectacular, I can see why it was considered expendable, but it's nice to have.

What They Gone Say, featuring L.I.F.E. Long - The beat by IDe is kind of head nodder, but apart from that, this one's kinda boring, complaining about the typical underground rap gripes (what plays on the radio, NY police, etc). Not sorry to see this one go.

Full Of Hate -Another one produced by IDe, the lyrics and instrumental really fit the theme, so I was surprised to see this one go, but some of the rhymes are a bit corny ("church I never go, heterosexual dressed in black from head to toe. Fuck, I let 'em know so fast.")

Octane, featuring IDe, L.I.F.E. Long & Sav Killz - This is an okay posse cut, produced by Alucard himself; but nothing better. It's been replaced by a much better posse cut.

Altitude, featuring Savage Messiah - The track by Ide is cool, but they're trying a more playful delivery that comes off as a cheesy attempt to follow some bad trend, and the lyrics are lame ("I fuck a broad without the bra like Ron Jeremy"). A good choice to remove.

Order Of the Dragon, featuring Deep, IDe, L.I.F.E. Long & Relz - This is a better posse cut, produced by Felony (I don't know who he is, really, but he's done a couple other tracks for CJM). I was sorry to see this one go.

Daisy Cutters - I liked this one, too. Dope beat (by Benefit), good flow. Should've kept this one, I think.

Exclusive to the proper album:

Haunted Cathedrals, featuring IDe - I really like this track, with some tight scratches by DJ Bonus1 on the hook. This really has the more polished, finished song quality that something like "Oh No" lacks; so the change makes perfect sense. Good addition.

Voice Of Reason - The beat, by 2 Hungry Bros, is perfect for this project, and Alucard comes harder than usual. It's kind of short, but adds a lot.

Hatchling - This is the one I singled out above as one of the stand-out songs. This being an exclusive makes a big difference.

Loose Screw - CJM regular DJ Connect provides a perfect beat for one of Alucard's best vocal performances. Clearly influenced by UG, but I'm happy with that.

Cyclone, featuring IDe - The upbeat, old school organ track provided by somebody named White Shadow is fitting, but lyrically it's disappointing, at times even downright stupid ("music's postal. I ship priority, tracking preferred. A hierarchy of words, binary codes. We're all bare beanth our clothes"). Could've done without this one, frankly.

Boom, featuring Critical, IDe, Jise & UG - This is the much better posse cut I mentioned earlier. And of course, you have to get UG on an album like this if you can!

So, final tally? The final album is predictably better. Ideally, I would've swapped around a few different songs and made some different choices ("Cyclone" out, "Order Of the Dragons" in), but it's clearly the more consistent of the two. So I'd say just get the 2009 edition - it's not worth getting both unless you're seriously Alucard's #1 fan - if you want something appropriate for the Halloween season.

Nick Wiz - UGHH Exclusive?

Nick Wiz is back, with another double CD - 43 full-length tracks - of unreleased goodness from his vaults. Interestingly, Cellar Sounds volume 2: 1992-1998 is a ughh.com exclusive. That's fine with me, because they're a good, reliable store, and if more places carried it, I'd've still probably ordered mine from them. But it does make me worry about the future of this series... if only one website is carrying Volume 3, can we be secure in the hopes for a Volume 4?

But enough gray skies for now, let's just enjoy what we've got - another excellent collection of 100% previously unreleased songs. All your old favorites are back: Cella Dwellas, Shadowz In da Dark, Ran Reed, Pudgee, N-Tyce, Milkbone. And, like last time, Nick hits us off with brief notes explaining every single song in this comp. One small disappointment is no Lord Have Mercy. I was enjoying the idea of him having one show-stopper at the end of every disc #1. Also, artists we'd only been first introduced to in previous volumes of this series, like The Native Assassins and Tross, are back with more lost demos.

Highlights this go around? Well, UG comes pretty nice on a couple tracks, including the album's opener... It's titled "Intro," but it's a full song. N-Tyce brings a different style than we've heard from her before on "Bet You Didn't Know." Pudgee comes with a tight, but politically incorrect, sex track called "Sex Ghetto Styles." A group called Pure Sinister from North Carolina recorded a fresh, hardcore demo track called "You Know My Style." And my personal favorite is an oldie from Madhouse - Shabaam Sahdeeq/s first group from even before Shadowz In da Dark, called "The Boom Bip" that has the MCs and the producer both going outside of their normal lanes for a really funky, aggressively upbeat track.

I mean, don't get me wrong - I don't want to oversell this album. Sometimes the formula here can wear a little thin. A lot of the MCs here are good, but wouldn't particularly stand out in a crowded cypher; and they're often hampered by the need to kick a few too many corny 90's punchlines. Plus some of Wiz's lesser tracks can feel a little formulaic, especially if you're listening to this double disc set end-to-end. And while these compilations have taught me to appreciate a couple of these MCs a little more than I did when they were first coming out - cats like Milkbone or N-Tyce, they still fall more than a little short of genius.

But everything here is good, some of it's really good, and there's a lot of stuff here heads have been waiting to get their hands and ears on since the 90's. Plus, two CDs packed with over twenty full-length songs each is a hell of a lot of material for $14.97. I think you'd be really be cheating yourself to pass it up.

So, whither Volume 4? Man, I hope so! I'm still dying to hear those original Cella Dwellas tracks when Lord Have Mercy was a member, and the fact that Wiz keeps hitting us off with tons of material we've never even heard of means you just know he's got a lot more to go from almost these artists. So I'm sitting here with my fingers crossed that "ughh exclusive" isn't a bad sign. And, in the meantime, the liner notes of this set tells us what's on deck from Nick Wiz and No Sleep Records: Nick Wiz Presents Ran Reed "Respect the ARchitect."

Give Extra P the Key To the City

(Youtube version is here.)

New Masta Ace Wax

With "Nostalgia" by Marco Polo and that killer song on Top Shelf 8/8/88, Masta Ace is exciting again. I mean a lot of MCs who were great at one time keep putting out records or guest appearances that are OK. But they're nothing like their heydays, and you can't help thinking somebody needs to give these guys a serious shot in the arm or put them out of their misery, because this endless succession of half-ass material where they're just cashing in on the last few remnants of their name are depressing. Well, either somebody gave Ace that shot in the arm, or being a master of constantly re-inventing himself and staying well ahead of the curve, he never needed it. Whichever way, Ace has still got it, and this is his new 12" single.

"Let It Be" comes to us from producer Ras Beats, a Danish producer who lives in Queens. He's put out several other releases like this one - that is, on his own label, Worldwyde; but this is his first release with big name MCs.

And while Ace has clearly taken the time to craft lyrics more substantial than just the quick throwaway guest spot freestyle - this is a proper song with a concept that matches the chorus - one of the biggest reasons Ace stays exciting this time around is that he's got production worthy of him. I'd love to know what's being sampled hear, ha ha. It's got a deep, slow, bassy feel crisp drums and a sung/ sampled hook. I love the decision to reverse the vocals on the last go 'round of each hook.

And this 12" would be impressive enough if it was left as just that; but it's also got a dope B-side, by Ras and Sadat X. It's called "Survive" and it's pretty interesting, because at first it sounds like just a lot of thoughtful but typical, non sequitur stream of consciousness-type rhymes. But it all ties back to the theme/hook - "how you can survive this year?" - of it getting harder and harder to stay in the game.

Both songs come in Vocal, Clean Vocal and Instrumental versions. And both sides also have a Bonus Beat. These aren't your typical Bonus Beats entry on a 12"; they're actually completely different breakbeats Ras also produced. I actually thought the Bonus Beat on side B might've been a more suitable beat for Sadat to spit over than the one they use for the song; but it's all solid production all around.

This is limited to 300 hand-numbered copies... plus, apparently, a couple extra for promo purposes; because in my case, I won my copy in a contest (see, kids, it pays to pay attention to those things), and my copy is numbered "COMP." It comes in a sticker cover, pictured above, and if you were lucky/quick enough to score one of the first 25 copies, you got it signed by Ace and Beats.

"Let It Be" also comes with a colored promo sheet, a la DWG, with a few notes on each song from Ras. More impressively, it also features a download code and password, so everyone who purchases the vinyl gets a free digital copy. I really appreciate it when labels do this... it's not so important for CDs, but for vinyl it's really handy. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the link no longer seems to be working - I guess it was more a bonus for pre-orderers **UPDATE 10/26/11 - it's back! Worldwyde hit me up and said they re-activated the link, so if you get the vinyl now, you can still get the free download. :) ** Regardless, it's a first class release suitable for anyone who wants to get their grown man rap on. It's not available too widely, but you can still order it directly from his website, rasbeats.com. There's also a digital-only release for the kids.

Mixmasta "D" Meets Big Daddy Kane

Mixmasta "D", of the Bizzie Boyz and that killer EP on Dope Folks Records last year made a record with Big Daddy Kane in 1996. Yup. And if you're like me when I first found out about it, the two thoughts running through your mind are, "why didn't I know about this?" and "I've gotta get it!" Well, it wasn't the easiest record to find, but I tracked it down and now I'm able to tell you guys about it and spread the word.

After dropping Turntable Scientist (the first iteration), Dana Mitchell changed his name from the 80's-style MixMasta "D" to the 90ish Dana Lucci. He and the MC from that EP, Flipsyde, (who also changed his name - in this case to Celinski), cliqued up with two other cats from NC: brother and sister O. Shabazz and Rasheedah. They called themselves Da Pit-Stalkaz (named after D's studio, Da Pit), and released this 12" single in '96.

It's hard to say which is the "A" side, since both sides of this record are labeled "Pit Side," but we'll start out with the most exciting one - the song featuring Kane. It's called "Pit-A-Strofik" (a play on the word catastrophic), and even if you didn't know the story behind it, you can tell it's descended from the same origins as Bizzie Boyz and Original Flavor. It's all about fun, lyric-flexing rhymes - think the NC version of Tha Supafriendz (who were dropping "Vowel Movement" the same year). The beat's kinda slow and atmospheric, with that very stripped-down sound of the indie hip-hop vinyl movement of the 90's - it's all about putting the attention on the MCs' rhymes, as each MC kicks a freestyle verse. Some punchlines are witty, some are corny, but they manage to make them all work by keeping the flows light-hearted and engaging.

So, Kane's not actually on "Pit-A-Strofik," but he is on the remix that follows. It uses exactly the same beat, but all the MCs kick new verses. And yeah, this time Kane gets on the mic to spit right along side them. Disappointingly, though, it turns out to be a verse we heard before. Well, not really. At the time it was new. This record dropped in '96, remember. But he brought this verse back in 1998 for his own single, "Hold It Down" (off of the underrated Veteranz Day). I guess he figured nobody'd heard of this North Carolina local record. And I guess I have to concede he was right - even I didn't find out about this until recently. But,. anyway, at least it's a really killer verse, and he sounds good over this beat.

So you get both versions of that song plus the Instrumental, which again, was the same for both versions. But flip this over and you get another dope song: "Represent." It's another, kinda smooth, atmospheric but raw beat, taking its hook from a choice Lost Boyz sample. Overall, this song sounds better - the sound is a little richer, the MCs come off better, and the hook is a big improvement. It just doesn't feature Kane. Essentially, "Pit-A-Strofik" felt more like a live, down-the-line freestyle recorded in the moment (which is, in a way, a plus to be sure), and "Represent" sounds more like a finished studio song. This is definitely the one that'll catch your ear if you do a quick in-store needle drop; but still... "Pit-A-Strofik" has Kane. haha

Fortunately, we don't have to choose; we get 'em both, making for a pretty nice little indie find. "Represent," by the way, comes in EP Mix, Radio and Instrumental versions. The only thing different about the EP Mix is that it doesn't have the curses edited out like the Radio version.

Since this record, Dana Lucci and co. have stayed busy... He and Celinski first put out a CD called Da Pitz: Greatest Hits, and then Dana dropped a vinyl EP in 2001 called Urban Legend. In 2009, he released an mp3 album called Klassic Truck Musik. And obviously, most recently of all, he's linked up with Dope Folks, who're releasing the best of his unreleased vintage material. Their next release has been announced to be some unreleased Bizzie Boyz songs from even before they were on Yo! Records. I seriously can't wait.

The Other Classical Jam

The Classical Two is one of those mid-80's hip-hop groups, like The Fresh 3 MCs or The Showboys, that are often written off as one0hit wonders, but in actuality they actually made... two good records. They're known for their debut single in 1987, "New Generation," largely because it's one of the earliest productions (though definitely not his first) of Teddy Riley, who was about to rule the latter half of the decade. It really makes distinct use of his signature funky percussion style and even a touch of the keyboard style from all his later #1 hits, and it features straight b-boy style rapping, so it's often a favorite amongst heads who appreciate Riley.

...And that's usually where the conversation stops when it comes to The Classical Two. But as I said, there's a continuation to their story. The Bronx duo, K-Born and LA Bru (R.I.P.) had originally come out on Rooftop Records through Brucie B, but the single was quickly scooped up and rereleased by Jive Records. And in 1988, Jive and Rooftop decided to put out another record from these guys even if they didn't have Teddy on the boards this time, and they dropped "The Classical Two Is Back."

Now, you can see from the black and white label and the "NOT FOR SALE" admonition (oops - somebody sold it to me!), that my copy is a promo version, but there's no difference in the track-listing. In either case you get two songs in vocal, Instrumental and Dub versions. And in my opinion this single does just what it set out to do: prove The Classical Two didn't need Teddy to carry them to be a viable rap act. Unfortunately, however, the increasingly commercialized industry took the opposite stance and opted to dead their careers rather than backing them for a full-length album. Oh well, even I have to acknowledge that while it probably would've been a fresh, quality album that I would still be enjoying to this day, it probably wouldn't've been a huge money maker if they didn't have at least some kind of gimmick and a new name.

"Classical Two Is Back" is just a fun, upbeat, funky record with just enough soul to keep it from sounding too pop. It's co-produced by Greg B of the Disco Four - a group I was always been a big fan of back in the day - and someone named Robert Wells, who worked on a lot of Kool Moe Dee's early Jive stuff. Possibly it got a little lost in the shuffle because the hook echoes their first single, saying, "we are rap's new generation" ...that shit confuses fans when you're only known for one song! They think, oh, I think I got that record already.

But this one is entirely different, with a completely dissimilar groove and rhythm. "New Generation" was great, too; don't get me wrong. But this is like the textbook definition of a head-nodder, and it does it without sounding half as poppy as Teddy's jam. The looped vocal samples, the subtle groove they don't bring in until the halfway mark, and the cuts by DJ Prince all come together, and the no-frills flows of the MCs just all come together to make one of those perfect rap songs that seem to only exist on old, overlooked 12" singles.

The B-side is interesting, too; but the magic isn't there like it was on the A-side. It's called "New York Is On Fire," and I appreciate their inclination to make a harder, street-oriented track, with rougher flows and a more atmospheric beat... but it just doesn't seem to be their area of expertise. The keyboard instrumentation sounds chintzy and cheap. The MCs go for a clearly Run-DMC-inspired style where they double-up each other's key words, that sounds like it's meant to be serious and intimidating, but they don't pull it off. I mean, it's okay; and the bassline is catchy; but unlike the A-side, this is one of those many 80's records that could slip comfortably into obscurity and not be missed.

But the A-side? That's some hip-hop definitely calling out to be revisited and appreciated. And if you're wondering whatever happened to K-Born, apparently he's been writing for mags like The Source and Hip-Hop Weekly and is/was working on a comeback album. I don't know if he checks in anymore (does anyone?), but he has a myspace page here.

Palestinian Hip-Hop

What do you know about the Palestinian hip-hop scene? Me either. Or at least I didn't before I decided to check out this recent documentary on the subject, Slingshot Hip Hop.

Slingshot Hip Hop spends most of its time with the first and most influential hip-hop acts to come out of Palestine, DAM (Da Arab MCs), but also manages to be a pretty definitive look at the entire movement there. We hear how they first discovered hip-hop and get to see some preserved footage of their awkward first attempts at recording an English language rap song in the 90's. And it follows their career as they meet Chuck D, perform illegal rap shows, freestyle, meet with and inspire new groups... it's really everything you could want in that regard.

But more important than just being the story of this crew who persevere in an unfriendly environment is the insight into what the hip-hop scene, and modern life in general is like in Palestine - both inside and out of the Israel controlled areas. Interviews are stopped by police because they're speaking Arabic in public, or because gunfire breaks out. One of the most moving moments is when a Palestinian rapper is being interviewed on the radio, and a caller asks if he'd met any international rap stars, and he says he's really just hoping to meet a fellow Palestinian rap group, who live just 15 miles away, but it's been impossible because they're not allowed to cross borders within their own country. At another point, DAM teach a couple aspiring rappers how to write a rhyme about a friend of theirs who was killed... after their performance, DAM hears that those kids were arrested and their trial won't be for at least a year.

How are they as rappers? It's a little hard to judge since they're not rhyming in English. Production doesn't seem to be their strong point, as they're mostly just rhyming over jacked beats. Their biggest single, "Meen Erhabi" ("Who's the Terrorist?") just uses the instrumental to Atmosphere's "If I Was Santa Claus." Though, to be fair, I checked out the end credits, and they do credit "Music by: Atmosphere" for that song.

But this isn't your typical hip-hop mini-doc that's really just a dressed up DAM showcase; it's a surprisingly deep exploration of these peoples' lives. The filmmakers must've spent a lot of time there, because they cover everything you could hope to see, from struggling artists showing you the very first hip-hop CDs they were able to purchase to putting on major concerts and television appearances. We talk to their families. And while the occupied people cannot cross borders (although we do follow a few people making illegal crosses and going through checkpoints), the filmmakers seemingly manage it, so we see everything from different sides including the outbreak of breaking and graf (especially poignant when you realize they're writing on the giant walls constructed to oppress and isolate them) movements in Gaza to the first female rap group. They must've spent years filming this, and it pays off - it's a surprisingly rich film.

This film's available on DVD - though unfortunately with no extras. A small update or what happened to the artists since the film finished, extra interviews, or even a music video might've been nice. It's not carried by many mainstream outlets (i.e. it's listed but unavailable from amazon), but you can order it direct from the film's official website, slingshothiphop.com or from Invincible's site, emergencemedia.org.

Screwball Week, P.S.: The Return of Rockwell Noel

(Youtube version is here.)