Here’s a not-so-bold prediction for Seattle hip-hop: The first half of 2010 will belong to Tay Sean and Jerm, the Beacon Hill duo that comprise Helladope, the spaced-out hip-hop/funk crew that had even the shyest of wallflowers acting the fool with their 2009 track, “Just So You Know”.
I’m pleased to announce that I’ve further committed to filling up even more of my down time with yet another pro-bono writing endeavor.
I’ve started contributing New Music write-ups to everyone’s favorite source for independent music in Seattle: the lovely Seattle Show Gal. Which, in case you don’t already know, is a collection of music bloggers comprised of more than just one “Gal.” There are many of us “Gals,” some of whom are not even “Gals” at all, but guys. Like me.
Anyway, I’ll be cross-posting my write-ups on 206UP.COM in a futile attempt to not compete with myself (futile because SSG collects literally hundreds of thousands of hits a month, compared to my pithy few hundred). Or you can catch everything I write on SSG here.
And just a reminder, I contribute full album Reviews to the faithful hip-hop heads over at Above Ground Magazine (shout to Tyler, Dominick, et al). It’s cold in Iowa (where AGM is based), so I figured adding a little 206 fire to their midwest freezer is the least I can do. Ha.
EXPOSURE. EXPOSURE. EXPOSURE.
Now act like you know and tell a friend!
A great look from J. Pinder. “Later On” is a breezy ode to l-o-v-e, just in time for Seattle’s early Spring weather. Click here or below to download.
Yet another remix of a Fresh Espresso track, this time courtesy of local electro wizards Viper Creek Club. “The Lazerbeams” gets VCC’s special distortion treatment. It’s beautifully, refreshingly, grimy. Something akin to rinsing your mouth out with minty thumbtacks — which might sound bad, but really, it’s not. Best FE remix I’ve heard so far, fam. Click here or below to download.
Photo jacked from VCC's Myspace page.
(Click here or above to download.)
Any group that’s interested in properly representing Left Coast hip-hop should first take a trip down I-5 to the Golden State, the place where the West Coast sound was originally developed, nurtured, and fully realized. Something about the combination of fresh Pacific Ocean air, perpetually sunny weather, and other (ahem) “natural” remedies, fuse to get the creative juices flowing something proper.
Fresh Espresso are currently Seattle’s most remixed hip-hop group. From the FileJerks’ hyperactive remix of “Diamond Pistols” to Thrills’ house music redux of “Big or Small” and “Vader Rap”, FE aficionados have club heads bleeding-out all over dance floors across Seattle. Rik and P are even making it mercifully easy for these producer nerds with the acapella release of Glamour — it’s all about ready…set…REMIX! And I appreciate them dudes for encouraging the DIY spirit.
The most ambitious undertaking, however, comes courtesy of do-it-all production virtuoso, OC Notes. His Coffee Beans…The Glamour ReWorks is a complete and utter re-imagining of FE’s now seminal debut. Listening to it is like stumbling down a dimly-lit hallway, high off weed and alcohol, where every room you pass is a doorway into trip-hop psychedelia and fuzzed-out experimentia (?) of FE’s original Glamour sh*t. It’s worth the trip, readers. And best of all, it’s free. Click here or below to download.
Makes me feel like I’m in college. DIY-aesthetes, State Of The Artist, celebrate weed, Cali sunshine, parties, and hip-hop. It’s all good for these 206 up-and-comers.
This one sounds like a f*ckin’ LA street fight, and Bambu and Prometheus Brown use the track’s momentum against your punk-ass. Filipinos go hard, son.
(Also, Pro Brown kills him on his own sh*t. Sorry Bambu fans, but it’s true.)
When the state of hip-hop starts to exasperate you, take two Jay Smooths and call him in the morning:
(Note: This review also appears on the national online hip-hop site Above Ground Magazine.)
For better or worse, Freeway possess one of the most recognizable and unique voices in hip-hop. As a result, he’s a bit of an acquired taste. Jake One the producer, on the other hand, is a 21st century version of DJ Premier. He uses appropriately melodic soul samples, dusty beats, and well-placed scratches to create a reliable and familiar dose of straight-forward hip-hop.
So while it’s possible the listener might have a more rewarding experience if Jake’s beats were blessed by a more, how-would-you-say, “accessible” emcee than Philly Freezer, it doesn’t change the fact that with their combined powers the two have crafted the best hip-hop album of 2010, thus far.
On one hand, it’s not out of bounds to say Freeway is generally under-appreciated as a rapper. On the other, you can say he’s gotten his just due. Point of reference is important here, too. From a philosophical standpoint, he’s one of those dudes that sort-of bridges the gap between backpackers and radio. Generally known and respected by true heads, Freeway is still only peripherally known by Clear Channel-ers, which is fine. Being a made hip-hop man (of which he is one), does not depend on your ability to please fans of both Brother Ali and Gucci Mane.
It does, however, depend on being reliable and consistent and Freeway has played his hand in the hip-hop game well. Decidedly street, his ability to be both an ambivalent and empathetic witness to the ethical dilemmas faced by fellow hustlers is one of his greatest strengths. On “The Product”, he paints a bleak picture of the role narcotics play in many aspects of American life, neither celebrating the drug lifestyle nor outright dismissing it as something altogether heinous. After all, if it’s a means to put food on the table when all else has failed, what can you ultimately say? Freeway admittedly keeps “One Foot In” the rap game and one foot in the street. This delicate balancing act allows him to maintain a level of authenticity that other rappers have lost.
Jake One, the other half of The Stimulus Package, has become a figurehead in Seattle hip-hop. He probably has the most national influence of any member of the local rap community but his voice is never actually heard. Jake speaks clearly and authoritatively through his beats. He’s an expert at taking a delicate soul sample and layering it over a well-crafted drum pattern such that the essence of the original music partially dissolves and reforms into something entirely new and exciting. His production is rarely flashy or ground-breaking — it’s just solid and consistent.
Jake is in high industry demand these days, and one of the reasons might be because his sound doesn’t seem to belong to any particular coast or region. You can hear obvious Dr. Dre-style Cali influences in the flourishes on tracks like “The Product” and “One Thing”, yet he also shows he can do Dirty South capably too on “Follow My Moves” and “Sho’ Nuff”. Jake One is a true student of hip-hop production; any rapper would be lucky to have him bless an entire album with his beats.
It’s refreshing to see a prominent hip-hop release with the ability to pay equal tribute to rapper and producer as Rhymesayers has done with The Stimulus Package. One DJ and one emcee was once the established symbiosis in hip-hop, but that has gone by the wayside for the most part. The schizophrenia caused by multiple rapper-producer collaborations has much to do with the inconsistent level of quality that plagues most albums. If more well-known rappers like Freeway would stick to the one DJ/one emcee ethic (the way our humble Town so frequently does), we’d see more LPs match the level of quality of The Stimulus Package.
