As much as I love autumn, it turns out it’s pretty hard to talk about exactly why without feeling like a twat. I could talk about the temperature shift, and the accompanying surge of childish excitement that you feel the first day you walk outside and see your own breath. Though we may now mark the season by the shift from iced coffees to hot lattes (as well as the return of the one true king of seasonal flavors, Pumpkin Spice), you might still recall fall as that time of year when your mother would start up again about the cold – how you really should be wearing a jacket AND a hat, because you loose up to 90% of your body heat from your head and once hypothermia sets in you’re a goner, and did you know that some hiker died out in the woods this one time because he didn’t wear his jacket AND his hat like his mother told him? Did you? I didn’t think so.
There’s been a lot of talk surrounding rappers whose sole purpose is nostalgia evocation. The phenomenon and its surrounding criticism seemed to gain traction with Freddie Gibbs and Big K.R.I.T., but there have been varying instances of young artists paying homage to the elders. SpaceGhostPurp is an especially apt example, hailing from Florida, essentially creating a 90’s Memphis Hypnotize Minds DJ Paul and Juicy J tribute tape (though this would meet heavy argumentation in the rap blogosphere). We shouldn’t be one bit surprised, as the artists who initially made rap music in the late 80′s and 90′s likely grew up on whatever their parents listened to (soul, funk, reggae, punk, disco, whatever). The time has now come where the genre is old enough for new artists to have been raised almost entirely on rap. Careful, In five years you might become your parents, claiming that the new generation of rap is just “ripping off” the “good old stuff”.
T-Rock and Mr. Sche are still making characteristically Memphis rap music. The kind Three 6 Mafia and Hypnotize Minds were creating when T-Rock was working with them in the late 90’s (though he migrated from his home in Atlanta). The internet has a strange way of dividing hip-hop artists into two categories, those at the forefront of Google Reader attention and others remaining regional yet pressing and selling actual physical CD’s rather than trafficking in hulkshare links. Consequently, as young blog worthy artist’s garner all sorts of sensational posts in rap writers race to be first, a fair share of regional artists continue making good rap music with a consistent sound yet fly under the radar.
I’m no historical rap hanger on that idolizes the past and 90’s, but it’s the same sentiment as when Jadakiss told 50 Cent, “I did real songs with [Notorious] B.I.G., no made up shit”*. Occasionally I’m going to trust the guys who’ve helped facilitate the sound, to continue creating it in the most enjoyable manner. There’s something reassuring about regional artists who are still grinding it out in rap’s old model (don’t take this as me hating the age of information). Especially with T-Rock being one of the few Hypnotize Minds members who left the group but didn’t turn to smoking crack (see: Crunchy Black). This doesn’t carry over to a lot of specific regions (Detroit, California, etc…) where young bucks are altering previous styles and adding their own uniqueness to positive effect.
T-Rock and Mr. Sche just let go of this track, “Yeah I’m Smokin” from T-Rock’s Slang and Serve 2. I’m not sure at all why it’s on T-Rock’s album, considering Mr. Sche raps every verse and T-Rock only adds the refrain. Regardless, this track retains the organic crunchiness (no whole foods) and quasi lo-fi qualities (tape hiss, crackling sample) commonly seen as uniquely Memphian. It feels like it was just released from a well-preserved time capsule. It pains me to write as if everything or anything at all was better in the 90’s, but the sound on “Yeah I’m Smokin” is so genuine and feels more natural than other attempts at making Memphis rap music.
Speaking of Memphis, resident Don Trip released a joint tape with Starlito (from Nashville), which you knew/know about because it was 6,000 years ago Internet time and the pair are blog-life favorites. Both are artists who frequent Memphis and are excessively popular there, but don’t much heed to the predecessors of their regional style. I’ve always thought Starlito sounded similar to Houston’s Lil Flip (though not in the form of mimicry) and more respected rap writers may compare him to Young Bleed, who hails from Baton Rouge. I’m not even sure what kind of rapper Don Trip represents; he doesn’t confine himself to punch lines or narrative, and sounds like he could just as easily have come from Philly, New York, or Atlanta. Upcoming producer Lil’ Lody, also a Memphis resident who has worked with Three 6 Mafia, produced the track, which samples Atlantic Starr “Let’s Get Closer”. It’s nearly a total departure from his usual trap-rap soul sample-less style that Lex Luger and Waka Flocka claim he sharked from them.
One of my favorite rap / DJ Screw tracks of all time, “Nobody Does it Better” by Nate Dogg & Warren G from Screw’s Still Hustlin’ tape also makes use of the same Atlantic Starr sample. Anything that allows me to spread this song further justifies a post, perfect rainy day music. This sample and it’s sparkling key loop sounds nearly identical to the one used in T-Rock & Mr. Sche’s “Yeah I’m Smokin,” which is The Isley Brothers “A Ballad for a Fallen Soldier” but may be more commonly recognized by the hip-hop generation (myself) as Jay-Z & Too Shorts “A Week Ago” from Vol. 2 … Hard Knock Life.
So I guess these songs are connected in some abstract way which you connect using the word “root” a few times, mostly hinging on Three 6 Mafia, Memphis, and soul samples.
*I can’t take any responsibility for most of the music Jadakiss has released since signing to Jay-Z’s label. I consider his career only existing before the big name feature and production dud he dropped in 2009.
In typical BEB form, this post is –technically speaking– about six years past its “fresh” date. Hopefully most of you have already made yourselves familiar with The National‘s contribution to The Black Sessions series – a French radio program begun in 1992 and hosted by Bernard Lenoir (“Bernard the Black”, get it?).
The band recorded this stunning 13 song set in 2005, while touring in Paris to promote Alligator. The set consists mainly of tracks culled from the aforementioned album, as well as the band’s Cherry Tree EP. These bitter, blistering performances seem miles away from the towering sadness and introspection of The National’s more recent work, and it’s easy to see why some longtime fans might be aching to hear this blackly humorous side of the band again. Still, speaking as someone who fell deeply in love with High Violet last year, I’m content to take this opportunity to revisit the band’s glory days while patiently waiting to see where they’ll take us next.
If you’re as late to the game as me on this one, you can pick up the full set below.
More news from old friends today. Tympanogram Records, the small label founded by our buddies over at Tympanogram, have announced their second pressing, a 7″ from Rochester natives Old Tapes. The record will feature two tracks, the soft and tender “Farewell”, as well as a new track, “What I Need Tonite”. I’ve already made my schoolboy crush on this band pretty clear, so take my advice and scoop this one up before it’s too late.
Speaking of Old Tapes, did you know that their debut EP, This Is Goodbye, is now available on bandcamp? It features a dark, angular cover of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”, which you can stream below.
The Deloreans return to BEB this week with a new track and video. “Dandelion” is a dreamy, acoustic ballad with a delicate-but-deadly hook that strangely recalls one of the loudest tracks off of the group’s tremendous sophomore album, American Craze (Hint: sing ”Leviathan” instead of “Dandelion” on the chorus).
The accompanying 8mm video captures the track’s warmth and woozy romanticism. Check it out below, then head over to yonder bandcamp to pick up the song (and an additional live version) for just $1.
Or, if you’re a vinyl fanatic, look no further, as Louisville Is For Lovers have pressed a limited number of gorgeous green split 7″s featuring the track.
