Some Songs Considered - Posts Tagged 'hip hop'

March 5, 2010

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“Root Down” – The Beastie Boys
(Words/music: Beastie Boys, available on Ill Communication, Capitol Records 1994)

Boiled down to one sentence, the Beastie Boys began as brats and became Buddhists, and somewhere in between they made their most interesting work. With the benefit of hindsight, this broad arc makes senses given that the Beastie Boys strike me as guys with lots of ideas. Whether it’s the range of sounds in their catalogue, the crowded production the Dust Brothers lent to Paul’s Boutique, or just the rapid pace the three MCs delivered their lyrics (and their tendency to accent each others’ rhymes by tripling up on certain words), the Beasties always seemed willing to explore an idea and see where it took them.

“Root Down” is neither the weirdest nor the best track in the Beastie Boys catalogue (or on Ill Communication, to be honest), but it synthesizes many of their best qualities. It combines together the live instrumentation (or at least the spirit of live instrumentation – I can’t quite tell) with a DJ’s touch. The feel of the track depends equally on the funk guitar that swells underneath the hook as it does with the gentle hiss of the record needle hitting the groove at the start and the hairpin turn the DJ triggers right after the hook. Lyrically, the Beasties are nimble, rhyming quickly and somewhat breathless. It’s a distinctive flow for a Beastie’s track; as with much of their work, the distinct tone of their voices and their cadence tips off the listener within a few words. In essence, “Root Down” works as an interesting introduction to the Beastie Boys. Proceeding deeper into their catalogue means scattering across their different stylistic endeavors, but “Root Down” captures their general essence as much as a single track can encapsulate a group with so many ideas.

More on The Beastie Boys: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

February 21, 2010

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“History (Live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon)” – Mos Def & Talib Kweli featuring the Roots and Amber & Angel from the Dirty Projectors
(Words/music: Talib Kweli Greene, Dante Smith, James Yancey, Cecil Womack, Mary Wells-Womack, originally available on Mos Def’s The Ecstatic, Downtown 2009)

In the closing of his review of The Ecstatic for Pitchfork, Nate Patrin boils “History” down to its most crucial details: “It’s a Black Star reunion over a Dilla beat.” Not that either Talib Kweli’s presence on the track or production from the late J Dilla requires instant success (nor does Mos Def necessarily need the help), but it certainly turns a few more heads that way. Sure enough, neither the former Black Star MCs nor the departed Dilla disappoint. “History” coasts on a smooth soul sample that feels more looped than chopped, with Mos Def and Talib Kweli reflecting on their personal history. While Mos Def’s first verse deals primarily with personal history, Kweli evokes Black Star’s name, contrasting with the current era of rappers who “dumb it down considerably.” Even if “History” isn’t as essential as that Black Star LP, it is, like Mos Def says in the outro, “not a comeback in particular.” Instead, it’s an enjoyable track from a duo many would love to hear record an entire album.

As for the production, this version from Jimmy Fallon’s late night performance feels like a two and a half minute homage to Dilla’s production. With The Roots and the female vocalists from the Dirty Projectors providing the music, the musical talent on stage could rival Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s lyrical capabilities. However, rather than try to embellish on Dilla’s production, the musicians carefully replicate his soulful track. ?uestlove, perhaps Dilla’s most prominent supporter in the last few years, even commented via Twitter (forgive the missing link – that man tweets a lot!) how impressed he was that Amber and Angel could pick up the subtleties in the way the intonation of “History” changes throughout the track. Appropriately, the show’s mix probably had the MCs a little lower than necessary. As a (unintended) result, I find myself focusing less on the words and instead on the rhythm of the delivery mixed with the track itself. If nothing else, it makes me want to spend all my eMusic credits this month solely on Dilla produced beats.

More on Mos Def: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

January 6, 2010

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“Empire State of Mind” – Jay-Z with Alicia Keys
(Words/music: Shawn Carter, Al Shux, Alicia Keys, Angela Hunte, and Janet Sewell-Ulepic, available on The Blueprint 3, Roc Nation 2009)

“Empire State of Mind” is overplayed. There are better beats on The Blueprint 3. Jay-Z has a few clever turns of phrase but has sounded sharper. Alicia Keys’ voice has sounded better. The hook borders on trite (“concrete jungle where dreams are made of” and “these lights will inspire you” aren’t exactly poetry). It probably doesn’t need the third verse. Wikipedia tells me that the Sex in the City 2 trailer features it. In short, this is Times Square Jay-Z rather than Brooklyn Jay-Z.

Still, Times Square at the right times still feels magical, and “Empire State of Mind” has that same kind of transcendent magic to it. Whether it’s the way the twinkling piano loop tangles itself with the guitar or the high notes Keys reaches for in the hook, it’s hard to resist such an infectiously catchy track. Jay even changes his flow a little bit in the middle, delivering his rhymes at a quicker, corner-of-the-mouth kind of way, tossing off different New York City images. Even if he’s bragged about his success more skillfully before, the combination of the high life with grittier New York images and memories helps paint the city as a multifaceted world. Ultimately, it works because it’s willing to strive for anthem-like levels. It gives Jay the ability to paint the city with broad, bright strokes, and even if he falls short of the high bar he’s set for himself, it’s impossible to take issue with the song when Alicia Keys starts singing.

More on Jay-Z: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

More on Alicia Keys: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

December 28, 2009

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“Get By” – Talib Kweli
(Words/music: Talib Kweli, Nina Simone, and Kanye West, available on Quality, MCA 2002)

Jay-Z, arguably the most successful man in hip hop this past decade, pays Talib Kweli a strong compliment on the track “Moment of Clarity.” “If skills sold, truth be told, I’d probably be lyrically Talib Kweli.” It’s somewhat of a backhanded compliment, as Jay says he’d give Kweli a run for his money if it made money, but it’s a compliment nonetheless. By the time Kweli went beyond his relationship with DJ Hi-Tek and started rhyming over others’ beats, he established his reputation as one of hip hop’s most gifted lyricists. Even if pairing him with Jay-Z’s producers (in this case, a pre College Dropout Kanye West) didn’t yield Jay’s SoundScan numbers, it broadened Kweli’s range.

Of course, skills alone don’t sell, but the “Sinnerman”-spinning beat on “Get By” makes Kweli sound like the most vital MC in the land. West’s bouncy piano beat lets Kweli excel with his occasionally off-rhythm rhymes; when Kweli deviates from the beat – particularly when he spits a longer phrase at a quicker pace – he sounds like a soloist embellishing on a melody. By deliberately breaking the form, Kweli gains a fluidity to his rhymes, letting him play in the space between those piano chords and drum notes the way that few other MCs would dare to attempt. He always finds his way back onto the beat though, and his embellishments never obstruct his lyrics – top notch, of course. “Get By” would be a winner with just Kweli, the drums, and the piano, but the vocal adornments make the track soar. Whether Simone’s sampled vocals, the small choir singing the hook, or West’s secret weapon John Legend reaching for the back row, these additions give “Get By” a fuller feel. Even if it’s a bit of a generalization, “Get By” remains one of the finest tracks in both Kweli and West’s body of work (not the career defining highlight for either, but certainly on their “best of” collections), and if that sounds like my own backhanded compliment, it’s meant as an endorsement of this track.

More on Talib Kweli: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

December 10, 2009

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“So Fresh, So Clean” – Outkast
(Words/music: André Benjamin, Antwan Patton, and David Sheats, available on Stankonia, LaFace 2000)

At the end of the track, Andre 3000 declares himself and Big Boi as “the coolest motherfunkers on the planet,” and nearly a decade later, it’s hard to argue against. “So Fresh, So Clean” in particular gives off an air of effortless cool, from the light ticking of the hi-hat to the restrained wah-wah guitar gently giving the right touch of funk. Even the pairing of Sleepy Jackson’s smooth hook vocals with a deep low harmony gives the track the perfect laid back vibe for Dre and Boi to do their cool thing.

They do hit the major requirements for the hip-hop slow jam – they name drop soul singers, boast about their swagger, and vividly detail what they would like to do to their lady friends. Of course, Outkast’s brand of “cool” isn’t standard issue – Big Boi drops references to patty melts and milkshakes in the midst of name-checking classic soul singers and later promises to “lick you like a lizard when I’m slizzard.” Andre 3000 starts by complimenting his baby’s big eyes immediately followed by the declaration that she’s “malnutritioned.” This leads up to his plea for her to stop being shy by calling her “so Anne Frank.” In the hands of virtually any other MC, these lines are creepy at best and laughable at worst; however, Outkast made a career out of their surreally tinted world view. Ultimately, it’s a tribute to their coolness – only a group with enough confidence to openly indulge in these unfiltered free associations could even dream of delivering them with any success. After all, confidence is contagious, and if Outkast is sick, I hope they never get well.

More on Outkast: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

November 19, 2009

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“Juicy” – Notorious B.I.G.
(Words: Christopher Wallace, Produced by Sean Combs and Jean “Poke” Oliver, available on Ready to Die, Bad Boy Entertainment 1994)

Plenty of rappers juxtapose their humble beginnings with their luxurious lives as entertainers. MCs did it before Christopher Wallace stopped selling crack, and they continue to do it over a decade after his murder. That said, few could rap about riches in a way that didn’t sound like rubbing it in the faces of everyone else, let alone with the eye for detail and distinct voice that B.I.G. brought to the mic. Sure, he starts out by dedicating the track to those who stood in his way, but as soon as it seems like he’s bragging to the non-believers, he switches gears when he declares that “it’s all good baby bay-be.” It’s almost like he’s caught himself falling into that trap, resets himself, and gets back on track toward where he wants to go.

This purpose is to capture his metamorphosis and the details along the way. After all, we’ve heard this basic story of overcoming hardships to achieve success countless times. We’re not even won over by the track itself – it’s a good beat and a good hook, but he’s rhymed over better supported by better hooks. “Juicy” sticks with us because of the way Biggie paints the portrait of his life. Whether he’s listing the magazine clippings that hung in his bedroom, the things that filled his house in 1994, or even just the side-by-side comparison of his youth and his adulthood, he gives us the details essential to see how his life changes. He’ll acknowledge his success, but it’s never to boast solely; instead, he’s pondering the ways his life changed so rapidly, acknowledging that he’s in a much better place both financially and emotionally as well. Moreover, he ties these details together effortlessly, letting us marvel in his wordplay as we start to think about our own lives. Even though he tells his story with such precision and detail, he still leaves enough room for us as listeners. We can marvel at his rise (knowing that the “it’s all good” phase would tragically end) while simultaneously dreaming about how we can find our own version of this life.

More on Notorious B.I.G: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

October 30, 2009

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“Peter Piper” – Run-D.M.C.
(Words: Darryl McDaniels and Joe Simmons, music arranged by Jason Mizell, available on Raising Hell, Profile / Arista 1986)

Earlier this week, I gave my students a poem by Chicago based author Kevin Coval. This poem, titled “The Day Jam Master Jay Died,” eulogizes legendary DJ Jam Master Jay after his murder in a Queens’ recording studio. Coval’s poem also contains characters who are caught between different worlds – such as a light skinned Hispanic male mistaken for being white and a Spanish speaking, Hindu practicing girl in his class – the same way that Coval felt alienated by his Jewish upbringing. It was Run-D.M.C.’s music that eased him “over the bridge of whiteness and rock,” and, eventually, led him back to his faith. It’s an influence that Coval carries with him, infusing his knowledge and love of hip hop in both his writing and his works with young authors.

Coval ends his poem by repeating part of a line from “Peter Piper” (and includes an entire additional verse leading up to this line in the recording I played for my students) where Reverend Run refers to Jay as the Big Bad Wolf and clarifies that it’s “not bad meaning bad but bad meaning good.” It led me back to “Peter Piper,” and it makes sense why Coval’s poetic eulogy would end with this track. Not only do Reverend Run and DMC put Jay in the same mythical category as a litany of fairy tale creatures, but Jay’s turntable skills on this track make the bragging redundant. He effortlessly transitions from an a-go-go breakbeat to the distinctive, rhythmic record scratches. Somehow, he toes the line between supporting his two MCs and stealing the show. If nothing else, it’s easy to see why Run and DMC made such outlandish claims in the mid ‘80s, and how a poet could put Jay in the same breath as John Lennon a decade and a half later.

More on Run-D.M.C.: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

October 27, 2009

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“300 Bars & Runnin’” – The Game
(Words: The Game, music: a lot of people, available on You Know What It Is Volume 3 mixtape, 2005)

Extended freestyle tracks remind me of extended drum solos – the technique and endurance demands respect even if the music output remains non-essential. On “300 Bars & Runnin’,” The Game unloads on G-Unit and its affiliated rappers for almost fourteen minutes. Lyrically, The Game sounds like he’s found a direct passageway into his surreal stream of consciousness. He repeats ideas and lines for his three hundred bars, yet barely takes a breath. What it lacks in clever turns of phrase and editorial precision (it is a freestyle, after all), it makes up for in endurance and bravado. Clearly, The Game isn’t looking for a diss track that cuts like either Nas’ “Ether” or Jay-Z’s “The Takeover.” Instead, he’s happy to go with volume over quality, unloading line after line as the beat keeps shifting between both hip hop classics and contemporaries.

Still, “300 Bars” makes for a compelling listen if just for the cavalcade of beats behind his flow. In an odd way, The Game’s near constant barrage blends into the background, somehow in support of the different tracks his DJ spins for him. In particular, The Game catches his second (well, maybe his third or fourth, to be honest) wind around the ten minute mark just as Kanye West’s “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” kicks in. To be fair, I think even I would sound good rapping over this beat, but The Game snaps out of a bit of a lull, riding out the last four minutes of his marathon.

It’s worth noting that this came to mind because today is the 300th consecutive day I’ve written about a song. Unlike the Game, I’m not done at three hundred, though. I think it’s safe to declare at this point, but it’s my plan to finish the year writing about a different artist every single day (with the exception that a solo project and a band are two separate entities). I realize that not every post is as strong as I’d like it to be, but I’ve been happy to hit a few moments like the ten minute mark on this track where everything seems to fall into place.

More on The Game: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

October 2, 2009

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“Build Me Up” – Rhymefest f/ Ol’ Dirty Bastard
(Words/music: Michael d’Abo/Tony Macaulay/Mark Ronson/Che Smith, available on Blue Collar, RCA 2006)

Somehow, it’s appropriate that the ODB’s final recording before passing would be a goofy hook based on a classic pop song. Dirt’s legacy lies in his absurdity, and it’s this inherent ridiculousness that makes something this goofy work so well. Even if he’s far more clever than this, “Build Me Up” more or less captures the ODB’s enduring legacy as a partly absurd, partly comedic presence. To laugh at Russell Jones is only to acknowledge the tip of the iceberg – although, to be fair, he doesn’t exactly do himself favors by seeking out opportunities to show off his skill for wordplay.

That being said, it’s Rhymefest’s premise that makes this track a winner. Our narrator has girl problems, so he writes a letter to the ODB – a decision of questionable logic that yields endless comedic results. It also affords Rhymefest, who tries his best to milk the “blue collar” work ethic off of Kanye West’s coattails, the opportunity to cut loose and be ridiculous. Sure, it yield’s some clunkers, but on a track where the hook is a pop song interpreted by a man who once asked to be called Big Baby Jesus, Rhymefest sounds downright clever. In any case, it offers ‘Fest the chance to make a reference to When Harry Met Sally and air out his lady problems in as many creative ways as possible, knowing that the ODB will be there to out-ridiculous him nearly a minute later. It’s a playful side that Rhymefest would later mute, outing himself as a proud homophobe on a later mixtape, but for one fleeting moment it felt like he was having fun at his own expense. Even if he went back to taking himself (too?) seriously, “Build Me Up” makes it impossible to stay stoic when the ODB starts in on the hook.

More on Rhymefest: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

September 22, 2009

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“Parents Just Don’t Understand” – DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
(Words/music: Pete Harris/Will Smith/Jeff Townes, available on He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper, Jive 1988)

Will Smith made his career by embracing absurdity. The early stages of his career involved crafting this larger-than-life persona – a sort of self-caricature of Will Smith rechristened “The Fresh Prince.” It made “Parents Just Don’t Understand” work at least. The beat sounds like a Run DMC castoff (or, perhaps more appropriately, something in the vein of “Christmas in Hollis”), and it’s hard to think of someone like LL Cool J doing such a goofy song. Smith embraces it and dives in head first, not only telling a tale of intergenerational misunderstanding, but by punctuating his story with a series of ridiculous details. He could summarize the first verse as “my mom bought me wack clothes, made me wear them in public, and made me the laughing stock of the school” (and, if he did it today, would end it with a hearty “FML”), but instead he goes into all of the specifics. He drops a reference to Sha Na Na, describes pants as “double-knit trousers,” and garnishes his rhymes with hyperbole all over the place. Whether it’s to help win us over to his plight or another brick to build up his persona, it’s this open silliness that makes “Parents Just Don’t Understand” feel fun and, for lack of a better word, youthful.

Still, listening to it tonight, I noticed a line at the end of the second “tale” (the one where the Prince takes his parents’ car out to cruise for girls, gets caught without a license, and fears his parents’ reaction over his stint in the slammer) that I must have skipped before. Stuck between his plea to the officer and his arrest, Smith shares that his new lady friend is “a twelve year-old runaway.” It seems like a one-off line – Smith gets arrested but it seems implied it’s for driving without a license – but in the context of the song, particularly the details of the girl trying to seduce him, it’s hard to ignore. I realize that Smith is in persona here and rhyming from the perspective of a non-licensed teen, perhaps fifteen, but it’s the extreme nature of the detail (making her considerably younger) that is hard to ignore. I realize Smith’s using exaggeration for effect, but it’s still hard not to find it a little uncomfortable.

More on DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

September 2, 2009

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“Shooter (f/ Robin Thicke)” – Lil’ Wayne
(Words/music: Dwayne Carter and Robin Thicke, available on Tha Carter II, Cash Money / Universal 2005)

I still remember the moment where Lil’ Wayne commanded my attention. While flipping through channels late at night, I caught the end of the Tonight Show just in time for the musical guest. I saw Jay Leno holding a CD, so I stopped to see who was performing. Admittedly, I stayed not because I had any interest in Lil’ Wayne but because the guy he was with was named Thicke (like the guy from Growing Pains?) and looked like he came out of an advertisement for a prep school. It was an odd pairing – Thicke in his sweater on one side of the stage and ~~a shirtless~~ Wayne running around the rest of the stage like his pants were on fire. In a way, the music sounded like this too – Thicke sang the introduction like a piece of slowed down blue-eyed soul (“Shooter” is adapted from his own track “Oh Shooter”), giving way to Hurricane Wayne when it came time for his verses. With a live band (and a DJ, I think) punctuating Wayne’s lines with horn kicks, Wayne ran around the stage like a man possessed.

This performance of “Shooter” (which I’ve only seen once and have never been able to find online) captivated me based on its on-stage theatrics, but the track itself is as endearingly odd. In other hip hop songs, Thicke might sing the hook. While “Shooter” has a repeated hook, Thicke feels more like the narrator pushing the story along with Wayne filling in the cracks with all of the details. Wayne’s in his normal mode with rhymes coming straight out of his subconscious by going off on tangents with unorthodox similes. In his second line, Wayne declares that “when I open up my mouth, all bullets come out,” and he certainly has a way with words. However, at times, it feels like he’s Yosemite Sam shooting off his guns into the air with abandon. Just when it seems like Wayne’s losing focus, he snaps back into lucidity and delivers a direct blow with the “stop being rapper-racists, region haters…” line directed at the business end of the industry. On Leno, Wayne delivers this line directly into the camera. Whether planned or instinctive, Wayne knew his best shot and took that extra second to aim at the target. By that point, Wayne was on my radar. Even with the mega-stardom that came along with Tha Carter III (and that surreal and wonderful interview he did with “Miss” Katie Couric), this TV performance I stumbled on accidentally remains my lasting image of Wayne.

More on Lil’ Wayne: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

EDIT: shityeahitscool shared a link to the video! Click through to check out the performance.

July 15, 2009

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“Never Let Me Down (f/ Jay-Z and J. Ivy)” - Kanye West
(Words/music: Michael Bolton, Sean Carter, Bruce Kulick, J. Richardson, and Kanye West, available on The College Dropout, Roc-a-Fella 2004)

Kanye West’s car accident is the formative experience of his adult life. Like many who experience a tragedy, West turned inward and started asking questions. On a basic level, West asked the same question that survivors often asked – why me? He doesn’t stop there, using his lyrics to try to reconcile the many contradictions that swirl around his life. While he crystalized this paradox – specifically, why do bad things make me feel good – on Late Registration, Kanye explores these parts of his personality on The College Dropout. These are Kanye’s most compelling moments lyrically – when he lets down his guard and shares his uncertainty with us. In a genre of music that values certainty and confidence on the mic, Kanye holds his own with some of hip hop’s best lyricists (at least in the mainstream) by embracing his contradictions and probing deeper (and it’s this heart-on-sleeve display that makes 808s and Heartbreaks feel human beneath its icy digital finish).

West’s verse on “Never Let Me Down,” takes a broader view on the paradoxes in his life. He details all of the different things he comes from – activist parents, apathetic peers, everyday racism, materialism and the accompanying guilt, and the fear that he’s losing sight of the big picture. His guest verses even pull him in different directions; Jay-Z’s verse represents the “game” of hip-hop and all of the glamor and fame associated with being at the top of your game. Jay has a few inspired turns of phrase in his bookend verses, but poet J. Ivy steals the show with his verse. Ivy delivers his verse as spoken word that floats over the track without reference to the beat, making him sound like a man possessed at points. His verse talks about a higher purpose and at points he sounds like he could be speaking in tongues. These are Kanye’s twin ideals, and like his idols he desperately wants to be both socially conscious and world famous. Both have their pull – Kanye responds to Ivy’s verse with a “take ‘em to church” line and emphasis on the choir-like backing vocals. Then, as soon as Jay-Z comes back, West slips back into his rapper role. He plays both roles well, but he’s at his best when he’s true to himself. This is what makes his lyrics compelling – he often treads on trite language and flirts with cliches, but an honesty and openess radiates from his best verses. Here’s a man who works so hard to cultivate a persona, yet he sounds most interesting when he pulls back the curtain and reveals that he’s as self-conscious, conflicted, and neurotic as the rest of us. I feel his pain and hope he eventually finds peace somewhere in the middle of these two poles. Still, there’s a selfish part of me that hopes that he stays conflicted and keeps searching, if only to keep him artistically sharp.

More on Kanye West: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

June 28, 2009

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“Go Crazy (Remix)” – Young Jeezy with Jay-Z
(Words/music: D. Cannon, J.L. Jenkins, B. Krass, C. Mayfield, available on Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 – Deluxe Edition, Def Jam 2005)

Two things stand out in this remix of “Go Crazy.” The first is the beat – built around a sample of Curtis Mayfield’s “(Man, Oh Man) I Want to Go Back,” this track feels like a lot of the soul based sampling from the middle of the decade. The thing that makes it unique is the way the beat flows – it’s a half-time beat but those drum rolls make it feel like an off-centered washing machine. It still moves in time, but half of the bar feels heavier than the other. Between this odd beat and the hazy use of the sample, producer Don Cannon creates a surreal feel to the song. Jeezy’s verse locks right into the beat, making the drums sound like they’re embellishing around his steadiness. It works perfectly with Jeezy’s style – one that I’ve always felt works better rhythmically than it does lyrically.

Of course, the “Go Crazy” remix benefits from having Jeezy’s then boss Jay-Z on the track. It’s not Jay’s best verse nor his best guest verse, but his presence commands attention. I first heard this track on the radio and had no idea that Jay was on it, so when he emerged it almost sounded like a daydream. Still, even if Jay sleepwalks slightly through the track, he still drops a few gems. As a baseball fan, I’ve always loved the “more than the relief pitcher, I’m the closer / the Mariano of the Mariott” line. If guest verses are like bringing in a relief pitcher to finish it off, bringing Jay-Z in for a verse would be like handing the ball to Mariano Rivera to close out the game.

More on Young Jeezy: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

June 14, 2009

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“The Mask (f/ Ghostface)” – Danger Doom
(Words/music: Brian Burton, Dennis Coles, Daniel Dumile, available on The Mouse and the Mask, Epitaph 2005)

In college, Sunday nights belonged to cartoons. The Simpsons (since its move from Thursday nights) was already part of my Sunday routine, and during college I discovered Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. This was around the time of Sealab 2021 and the first couple seasons of Aqua Teen Hunger Force. These bizarre bits of animation were a welcome distraction from the work I put off all weekend, and I had long been a fan of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, so I was destined to fall into Adult Swim’s programming block. I’ve rarely seen Adult Swim since, mostly because of a series of jobs that required me up early Monday morning, but I keep tabs on it through others who set their DVRs (or stay up to watch). When I heard about The Mouse and the Mask, a collaboration between Danger Mouse and MF Doom, I was intrigued. When I heard that the album carried a cartoon theme (including samples from Adult Swim shows), I was sold. It makes sense for this pair to make a Cartoon Network-affiliated album; Doom often indulges in some goofy imagery, and Danger Mouse’s beats sometimes sound like a Saturday morning soundtrack.

Built around a horn riff that sounds like a chase sequence, Doom and Ghostface rap about visages. Doom focuses on his own distinctive metal mask, dipping into a few odd phrases as he lays out his verse. Ghostface even shares this same whimsical tone, taking Doom’s hypothetical situation and continuing on, declaring the two of them “superheroes for life until our souls vanish” at the end. It’s not either man’s finest moment, but it’s fitting for the beat and fitting for the project. If either MC took it completely seriously, the final product wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable. Instead, it’s a well-produced track that’s easy to like. Even the Brak and Zorak skit at the end is tolerable, mainly because the track seems like something that could exist in their universe.

More on Danger Doom: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

June 2, 2009

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“Worst Comes to Worst” – Dilated Peoples
(Words/music: Dilated Peoples, William Bell, and Booker T. Jones, available on Expansion Team, Capitol Records 2001)

We’re quick to ask songwriters where their inspiration comes from, whether we’re looking at lyrics or wondering about melodies. However, I’m incredibly fascinated with the way that DJs and hip hop producers create a track, particularly when it’s based around a sample. While a songwriter might talk about influences, DJs hunt through crates of their idols (and others, too), looking for the perfect element to turn into a beat. Take “Worst Comes to Worst” for example – The Alchemist builds this beat around William Bell’s “I Forgot to Be Your Lover,” a wistful, Curtis Mayfield-like soul ballad co-written by Booker T. Jones. It’s a gorgeous ballad with an awesome guitar introduction, but it’s also been the basis for samples for Brand Nubian, Ludacris, and a handful of others in addition to Dilated Peoples. Specifically on “Worst Comes to Worst,” Alchemist and DJ Babu turn Bell’s ballad into a light-hearted bounce. The Alchemist pushes the tempo and adds in some more distinct drums, and Babu cuts back and forth on his turntables, whipping the original’s slower pace into something lively. Evidence and Rakaa (with a spoken verse from Gang Starr’s Guru) run with the beat, trading off verses that sing the praises of their friends and family in addition to their love of hip hop. It’s hard for me to listen to “I Forgot to Be Your Lover” without thinking of “Worst Comes to Worst,” but I’m not sure I see a direct line between the two. I’m very curious what The Alchemist heard in that somber original that inspired such a spirited beat.

I also think back to my friend Scott, a DJ and emcee himself, who first introduced this song (and a lot of other slightly esoteric hip hop) through the radio show he did in the timeslot after mine. He’s had his hand in a couple different projects where he’s proven himself as a crafty lyricist. Most recently, Scott co-founded an educational hip hop project called Smart Songs, selling their first collection of songs through Highlights Magazine. While this might sound horrible on paper, Scott and his collaborators manage to make the tracks feel like authentic hip hop rather than the type of offensively awful “hip hop” usually dubbed “educational.” Even if they rhyme about the United States presidents, they’re also giving kids (their audience, after all) a taste of hip hop that’s more than the Nickelodeon show version.

More on Dilated Peoples: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

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