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“It’s All Happening!”

I just finished watching Almost Famous for the second time. The first time was in 2000, the year the film came out and I enjoyed it then but never got around to seeing it again until about three hours ago. Of course, the flick has nothing to do with hip-hop music, but it does have broad appeal across genres because it speaks to the music fan in all of us. We’re a lot like the movie’s main character, William Miller. We seek to understand the histories, personalities, and motivations of those artists that we follow.

(An aside: It’s why, as fans, we read and write blogs, and obsessively re-fresh Twitter feeds. It’s why I like to listen critically to an album and then write something on how it made me feel and what my impression of the artist is based on what I hear. Contrary to what some readers or local artists might think, I’m not out to hate just for the sake of hating. Or disparage because it makes me feel good personally and will increase readership — though that is a convenient by-product of being honest. But anyway, I digress…)

In Almost Famous, the idiom “It’s all happening!” becomes the catchphrase throughout the movie, its motto. It’s a simple slogan meant to embody the singular emotional exuberance felt by the film’s characters as they take part in their respective musical experiences (and life experiences in general). “It’s All Happening!” is reserved for those who haven’t yet achieved fame, but may just be on the cusp. Or for those musicians experiencing for the first time that being widely appreciated for their art is a true possibility. It’s a feeling that I imagine a lot of local artists are going through right this moment as Seattle’s hip-hop movement continues to expand like Shawn Kemp’s waistline.

So, by way of a virtual 206-UPPERY! dap, here are a couple artists for whom “It’s All Happening!” They’re a group and solo act that I haven’t mentioned yet on the blog, but that I have a lot of love for.

Shapeshifters (SOTA)

Shout out to SOTA (State Of The Artist), a three-man crew that is getting a fair amount of burn in The Town these days, though I hear they’ve recently relocated (temporarily, I think) to SoCal. Download their free mixtape Shapeshifters on their blog (linked above). This crew is one of those rare breeds in rap, a group equally balanced with both individual talent and great chemistry as a collective.

The Ride (Sol)

Another virtual dap to the rhyme animal Sol. Purchase his debut album The Ride on iTunes right now. Technically, Sol’s a virtuoso. He’s the rap equivalent of Mariano Rivera, proficient and consistent, and always on point lyrically. He’s a rapper that you’d confidently hand the ball to in the ninth inning or trust taking the last shot in OT because, like a clutch performer, he never fails to make the competition look silly. Once the majority stops sleepin’, best believe Sol will get his due shine in Seattle.

That’s it for now! More for your head later…

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REVIEW: Glamour (Fresh Espresso)

Glamour (Fresh Espresso)P Smoov and Rik Rude of Fresh Espresso are the guys you would most want to party with and the guys whom you would never trust around your girl. This social quagmire could certainly create some problems on a Saturday night, especially if your lady isn’t looking to be left home alone while you’re out carousing with the two guys who are quickly becoming the hottest hip-hop act in the city. Curiously, the social contradiction also mirrors my relationship with their debut album, Glamour: I simultaneously love and hate it. Read on to understand why…

The Hate Side

I think Fresh Espresso are a couple of posers. There, I said it. In their live shows, they own the stage like real rock stars, which (presumably) affords them the affinities of many women. And, while they may be taking said groupies out for a nice steak dinner after the show, their music would have you believe they can afford Filet Mignon at El Gaucho, when, in reality, it’s probably more like a nice sirloin at The Keg.

Which begs the question: Are they keeping it real?

The answer: Sometimes. Maybe. I think.

On one track, P Smoov isn’t ashamed to declare that he’s been homeless and had to resort to selling his mattress to pay the bills, yet on most others, he’s shooting off “Diamond Pistols” and riding in fast cars with topless women, presumably on his way down the California coast to a beach house somewhere in Malibu. These worlds are in direct contradiction to each other, yet this crew exists in both. I expected some tongue-in-cheek/nudge-nudge-type lyrical musings to offset all the Diamond Life talk, but there’s none of that. We’re allowed to believe they somehow have it both ways. Oh well, maybe there’s a simple explanation, like Rik Rude’s side hustle is investment banking or something.

The Love Side

These dudes are supremely talented, and they’ve created what might be, to date, the most mainstream-friendly rap album to emerge from Seattle. It’s an unapologetic slap in the face to the other section of 206 hip-hop that would prefer to remain progressive and conscious, a huge above-ground guilty-pleasure for a hip-hop fan like me who tends to spend most of his time underground.

Smoov’s production is incredibly glossy, the aural equivalent of what the lips on one of his groupie’s might look like. Some of the tracks are busy and over-produced (“The Lazerbeams,” “Vader Rap”) while others are just right (“Elegant,” “All Around The World”), but the majority of the album is top-shelf, high quality hip-pop, music you’d expect to hear on a rap album with mass-market appeal. On the boards, P Smoov is definitely not a faker or an amateur, he’s an absolute pro, and it shows.

Rap-wise, both Espresso boys have confidence and swagger for days, and both are competent on the mic. Rik Rude, who handles most of the rapping, is a seasoned emcee and his stream-of-conscious flow fits nicely over P’s slick beats. Sometimes, however, he sounds tongue-tied, like maybe he didn’t loosen-up his chops with enough Hey-Now-Brown-Cows before stepping into the booth. P Smoov actually holds his own alongside Rik. His high-pitched flow is natural and engaging, and often he’s more interesting to listen to than his partner.

Back To The Hate

Unfortunately, lyrically, there’s not much substance here. It’s mostly talk about women, sex, haters, women, coming up in the rap game, fast cars, and women. This crew will not be encouraging us to vote for a particular mayoral candidate and a lot of what comes out of their mouths is just hot air. But then, so is a lot of good party music.

And Back To The Love

My final analysis is, you need to own this album. If not for the quality of music, then for the “f*ck you, pay me” statement it makes to all other major urban centers across the country that produce the majority of popular hip-hop. This album proves that Seattle is more than backpacks and Birkenstocks, REI and snowboards. We can be cocky, too, see. Even if it takes a group like Fresh Espresso to blow some hot air up your ass to prove it.

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REVIEW: OOF! EP (Blue Scholars)

OOF! EP (Blue Scholars)So this is what it sounds like when Blue Scholars go on vacation. The highly-anticipated and much locally-hyped OOF! EP dropped on Tuesday and, much to the unsuspecting ears of this listener, surprises abound on this mostly-fresh bite of Hawaiian-style 206-rap.

For a short six-tracks (plus accompanying instrumentals), producer Sabzi breaks out his happy-vibe synths and basslines, and emcee Geo sets down his copy of The Socialist, straps on a pair of board shorts and flip-flops, and, with drink in hand, reminisces on his formative years spent in the nation’s 50th, and most beautiful, state: Hawaii.

OOF! is truly a vacation for the local rap duo, an exercise in departure, both for Sabzi’s normally thick, boom-bappish beats and Geo’s political and progressive rhymes. It’s only because the disc contains two of the best Scholars songs to date (“Bananas” and “HI-808”) that they’re excused from taking it too easy on this outing.

Even the most highly-respected artists sometimes casually digress from their normally esteemed routines. Think Brando in The Freshman; Hitchcock directing Mr and Mrs Smith; Michael Jordan when he played for the Wizards; etc. In Blue Scholars’ case, last winter’s set of performances in Hawaii combined with Geo’s history in the islands resulted in the perfect circumstances for assembling this set of party-rocking tracks that qualifies as an official departure from the group’s normally heavier-handed musical discourse.

Mix in an abnormally hot Seattle summer and a local hip-hop scene that is bubbling over — as of this writing OOF! currently sits at #2 on iTunes best-selling hip-hop albums — and it’s enough to have this blogger, and other fans like him, scrambling around The Town trying to get their hands on a copy of the limited-edition disc (supposedly only 808 were pressed). I was one of the lucky few to get one and, once I set to bumping it, I was more than a little surprised at what came out of my speakers.

On OOF! we hear the group do things we’ve never heard them do before. All of a sudden, they do dance tracks! (The cheesy and nearly unlistenable, “New People.”) They do reggae! (Excuse me, jawaiian music, on the tropical, “Cruz.”) They even do sexy! (Geo and Sabzi take turns saying “wassup” to the ladies in their best nice-guy voices on “Hello.”)

Thankfully, they also find time for real hip-hop on the spare but still bumping “Bananas” (with a verse previously spit by Geo at Chase Jarvis’ Songs for Eating and Drinking party), the back-in-the-day hip-hop appreciation anthem “Coo?”, and the totally knocking “HI-808,” the crowning achievement of OOF! and possibly the most addictive beat the crew has ever put on wax. It’s an eclectic and unexpected collection, for sure, and it doesn’t all go down smooth like a pina colada, but it does the job.

Normally, Blue Scholars is telling us to put our fists up, to stand for social justice and political change. On OOF! they’re letting us keep our hands down, inviting us to sip a fruity drink, and groove to the music however we see fit. Actually, I’m pretty okay with it — sometimes my arms get tired from all that hand-waving. I do, however, expect the duo to carry on previous tradition with their next full-length. Come 2010, it will be time once again to take up arms and mics for the revolution.

For now, though, I can get down with OOF! But perhaps Geo himself sums up my feelings best: “It’s cool…But it’s not what I’m used to.”

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The Whole 206 World Goes, “OOF!”

Alright then, I’m back on the blog after a brief hiatus. Went camping east of the mountains (that’s the Cascades) with The Lady and some good friends. Lots of good eating, swimming, and lounging around in 100-degree weather, but very little in the way of Seattle hip-hop. (Lake Chelan might have the only bars left in Washington that Fresh Espresso hasn’t played.) And, while it was nice to be away from technology for a while, it’s good to be back on the blog, once again connected and in-the-loop with the goings-on around town. So without further ado…

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Since it’s all about Geo and Sabzi today (and most likely tomorrow as well), I might as well hitch my wagon to the OOF! train and do my part to plug our favored sons of hip-hop in the 206.

The local rap giant that is Blue Scholars is once again coming down from the mountain to drop their highly-anticipated OOF! EP tomorrow. The limited edition disc will be available at the Capitol Hill all Caffe Vita locations. Get yours, son. All the information that’s fit to print is here on the group’s blog.

The Scholars crew is on their grind again, promoting the hell out of the EP, encouraging us fans to basically stalk them around The Town all day, and topping off the release date with a performance at local Hawaiian outpost Ohana, in Belltown. I’ll be there, hyped up on Caffe Vita espresso with loco moco in hand. Show your love, too!

I haven’t heard the entire EP yet, but if the first two pre-released tracks (“Coo?,” “HI-808”) are any indication, then it’s likely this disc may be the most light-hearted and party-rocking collection the crew has released thus far. Granted, my affinity for the duo lies mostly in the fact that they choose to be so intensely political and *ahem* conscious, but lighter subject matter is always welcome from any of my favorite hip-hop groups. It is party music, after all.

After I get in a few good listens, your faithful 206-UP!’er (that’s me) will be offering his always over-opinionated opinion. Until then, however, check out Andrew Matson’s (Seattle Times) review here. A-Mats also interviewed our favorite doods and both offered insight into the direction of the group, its evolving musical stylings, and the 206 hip-hop community in general. Peep those interviews here and here, they’re both worth reading.

More later — enjoy the sun and the OOF!

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Hip-Hop Takes A Vacation

Well, being on vacation is not conducive to keeping up regular posts on the blog, so, apologies to those who read me on the regular and have caught me slippin’ as of late. Plus, I am without my personal laptop and regular access to the internet, so I’ve mostly been Twittering and nothing really beyond that. The ironic part of all this is that I’m finally back home in Seattle, where the hip-hop that I write about is actually happening, and yet I haven’t had time to really partake of the scene.

Anyway, I’m on my way to Easy Street Records (Queen Anne) to catch up on my local record browsing. I’ll probably cop a few discs while I’m there including a *ahem* legitimate copy of Glamour (BTW, I swear my full review of Fresh Espresso’s seminal work is coming soon…).

For now, click here for Seattle’s flavor of the week, a track called “Robin Hood” by local hero Tay Sean. It goes nice with this 90-degree weather and an iced tall Americano from El Diablo.

Now, which bag did I pack my iPod in??…

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Back In The Sea

As expected, my coffee intake has increased at least three-fold since arriving in Seattle on Wednesday evening. I’m perpetually caffeinated now — not that my state of consciousness in NYC isn’t usually thrown off-kilter by the country’s most dangerous legal stimulant, but I’m just sayin’, out here, fresh espresso (for better or worse) is a way of life. (Ha! Get it?! Fresh Espresso/fresh espresso — a way of life for better or worse?!…Uhh yeah, so anyway, moving on…)

The weather, thus far, hasn’t exactly been conducive to summer riding. In fact, I don’t think I’ve rolled down the window once yet in my 1984 Toyota 4WD wagon (the whip that I’m currently pushing [actually more like gently coaxing] through the city — thanks to my Lady’s parents for providing me with yet another reason to be self-conscious as I drive through Downtown, Fremont, and New Ballard).

Anyway, all this to say, it’s good to be back in The Town! Good to be gorging myself at breakfast at Portage Bay Cafe, good to be eating a Dick’s Deluxe with Bill Gates at 10:00 at night (no joke, he was really there at 45th Street on Wednesday), good to be sinking my teeth into a Paseo grilled pork sandwich yesterday afternoon. (There seems to be a theme developing here.)

And good, of course, to be back in the city where the hip-hop movement is as fresh and optimistic as a box of newborn kittens.

So, if you see an idiot in the front row at Yirim Seck’s album release party who seems to be on some sort of bad drug trip, don’t worry. That’s just over-caffeinated me, enjoying the realness.

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Leavin’ On A Jet Plane…

I only have a few minutes before I gotta pack for my triumphant return to the Sea, which is happening in t-minus 9 hours…8…7…6…

But I wanted to just briefly pass along two of my favorite pieces of hip-hop media. They don’t relate specifically to the 206 scene, but the last time I checked, hip-hop was happening in every damn nook and cranny of our fair nation. (Sometimes I even need to escape our little insular 206 world!) That being said, peep game:

The first thing you need to check for on the regular is Ill Doctrine, Jay Smooth’s online hip-hop/politico/pop-culture op-ed series. Smooth is proof that there’s a hip-hop nerd hiding inside all of us. Ill Doctrine is kinda like The Source. If The Source grew a brain, a conscience, and a soul. (Oh, snap!!) It always seems like Jay says what I want to say, but in much more eloquent and creative ways. Here’s his latest post, on the Budden vs. Raekwon beef:

The second worthwhile item is the film Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, a documentary by filmmaker Byron Hurt. Here’s a preview:

It’s a film that tackles themes of masculinity, homophobia, and sexism in hip-hop music. It’s easily one of the most important music documentaries ever made. Byron Hurt really turns hip-hop upside down and shakes all of its ugly parts onto the table so they can be explored carefully. Don’t miss it.

(Quick story about this film: I first saw it at a free screening at Columbia University. The main reason I went is because I heard Talib Kweli would be participating on a discussion panel after the screening — along with Mr. Hurt and a host of other hip-hop intelligentsia. Kweli was his normal thoughtful and engaging self, but the real star of the screening was Byron Hurt and his film. I came away impressed and with a disturbed perspective on how a lot of rappers end up marginalizing themselves by the lyrics they spit. I also had my first celebrity encounter in New York when I ended up standing at a urinal next to Talib Kweli. I resisted the urge to challenge him to a freestyle battle.)

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VIDEO: “HI-808” (Blue Scholars)

From the forthcoming OOF! EP:

In this video…

1. Our dudes pay $6.95 for a loaf of bread at Foodland. (If you’ve ever grocery shopped in Hawaii you know what I’m talking about.)

2. Geo steals a hat right off the head of some white dude. (Ironically symbolic, perhaps? Nah, Blue Scholars would never include social commentary in one of their videos!)

3. The homies ride in the back of a pick-up truck. (Legally, I might add. The last time I was in Hawaii, that sh*t was allowed. I saw like ten kids in the back of a Toyota screaming down the highway, no joke.)

4. Geo and Sabzi rent beach cruisers and frighten tourists by chasing them down the sidewalk. (Just kidding. In Hawaii, it’s all 808 love, baby!)

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Future ABDC Champions

Just a quick video to close-out your weekend. Whatchu know ’bout the Massive Monkees??

(Something tells me that working out with these dudes would get rid of my beer gut…)

(UPDATE @ 8.10.09, 9:20 am: The actual television performance from the first week’s show.)

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Yirim Seck’s Solo Debut

Yirim-HearMeOut-flyer-back1Damn, this show will be off the hook*: Yirim Seck‘s album release party featuring The Physics and Fresh Espresso. This makes for a DO. NOT. MISS. event at the Chop!

(*Do the kids say “off the hook” these days?…I don’t care, I’m still usin’ it…)

From the (slightly) Back-In-The-Day Files, here’s a clip from Pyrate Radio, “Hey You Say You.”

(Another shout to Ian, director-extraordinaire, for the visuals!)

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