HEATRAGISH
IVE HIP-HOP CAN BE A REAL HIT OR MISS EXPERIENCE.
A lot of young emcees get on stage and fight the crowd-"aw,
man, y'all ain't real, I'm up here spittin' hot shit and y'all ain't
feelin' it," fight the soundman-"can you turn my mic up?...can you
turn my mic up?...can you turn the speakers onstage up?...can you turn
my muthafuckin' mic up?" and fight their own crew members for a turn
to say the wack-ass written rhyme they're trying to pass off as a
freestyle. But emcees need to stop the violence. A more experienced
group knows that the way to a crowd's heart is to give the people what
they want: dope beats, dope delivery so we can understand what the
fuck you're talking about, and a little bit of energy and creativity.
Following are a few recent shows that moved the crowd:
Spitkicker tour @ Maritime Hall, San Francisco, CA
The Diabolical Biz Markie acted as the tour's resident father figure, keep-
ing it moving with an eclectic mix of hits on the wheels of steel and getting the
crowd open with some classic Biz beatboxing. Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek
PRIORITY FREIGHT
Jurassic-5-Quality Control
My guess is that half of these songs will show up in
skate videos. Good, upbeat, old-school flavored hip-
hop like this is perfect to skate to. This album basi-
cally takes what J-5 started on their EP and runs with
it like Jesse Owens. Sing-songy hooks, varied subject
matter, and some blazing DJ cuts add up to an album
you can listen all the way through.
Busta Rhymes - Anarchy
Well, Busta Rhymes has done it again; he's
made an average album with a couple of really good
songs. This seems to be his formula since going solo:
rope you in with some hot singles, then bombard you
with conspiracy theories and noisy repetitive loops. I
guess that's just his sob story.
Dilated Peoples - The Platform
"classic Biz beatboxing"
beatboxing" LED
damaged eardrums with some bangin' beats, but there's something about
Talib's delivery that makes me want him to be a ghostwriter. Pharoahe
Monch represented lovely with old OK cuts for the heads and a rousing ren-
dition of "Simon Says" to close out his set. Common came on the set next,
and everyone was into his energetic costume changes until he played himself
by kicking a homophobic a capella about the "gay area." But it was De La
Soul who really set it off-they have a huge collection of heaters to choose
from and they did songs off every album including three or four from the new
one, Art Official Intelligence. Watch for it, it's gonna be a hot one. But when
the roof really came off, the muthafucker was when they brought Biz back out
to do "Vapors" and "Just A Friend."
Outkast and Common @ the Riviera, Chicago, IL
How often are you at a show and you really just feel it-I'm talking about
chills in the spine, crazy twitches, the whole nine. That's how fully open
Outkast had the crowd when they passed through the Riviera in Chicago
recently. Local favorite Common opened up and by the end of his set had
the crowd in an all out singalong. When Outkast came out, the people went
off. Lyrical delivery was on point, and enhanced instrumentation was pro-
vided by a DJ, a percussionist, and a guitarist, yielding funky-ass live ver-
sions of all their classic jams. Think of "Players Ball" with congas and a
pimped out guitar riff and you're on the right track. If you want to experi-
ence positive energy manifest through a hip-hop gathering-dirty South
style-go see Outkast when they come through your town. -Dlema
Reflection Eternal/Dilated Peoples @ DoubleDoor, Chicago, IL
This show reminded me of a hardcore show back in the day. There's a lack
of major label/corporate presence, the good vibes are flowing, everyone has
a good time, and the lyrics are less mindless bragging and more thought pro-
voking. These cats are like some guys you may know who are on their way up
to success in whatever field. They've got their shit
together, and they come from the heart whenever.
they do their thing. While most of the music world is
focusing on commercial success, it's good to have
Talib and HiTek coming with the conscious lyrics
stressing things like unity and justice, and Dilated rep-
pin the straight hip-hop-DJin' and MCin'. -Dlema
A lot of purists are gonna think I'm crazy, but I was
ready to hate this album. Yeah, I'll give it to you,
Babu is nice as hell on the 12s, but for my money,
those other two cats can't rap. But I gave this album the
old college try and damned if I didn't find myself nod-
ding my head to more than half the tracks. Someone
must have worked some production magic to make me
like listening to Evidence's overhanded delivery.
KMD Black Bastards
PLCK B STADS
I felt like Indiana Jones when I peeled this album
out of its case, because it was buried long ago under
layers of label politics and fraternal grief. The contro-
versial cover art that supposedly got it shit-canned at
the beginning of the last decade seems pretty tame
compared to what passes for cover "art" today. This
could-have-been-a-classic contains killer cuts that
showcase the mic skills of the late Subroc and the
one now known as MF Doom. If you spot it, cop it,
because if it goes back underground you may never
see it again.
Quasimoto - The Unseen
MAINLINERS
Does anyone remember Basehead? Quasimoto's
mumbling flow reminds me of them. My only complaint
about this quirky, blunted boulliabaise is that Madlib,
the producer, refers to himself as the Loop Digga and
scolds others for not finding obscure enough samples.
Then, on "MHBs" he turns around and uses the same
sample that AZ rocked on Doe or Die. But I ain't mad
at him; it's a dope-ass loop and he actually hooked it
up a little better.
Poor Righteous Teachers "Losing My Religion"
The Creators featuring FT "No Love"
De La Soul "Ooh"
Micranots "Pitch Black Ark"
The Nextmen "Break The Mould"
Juice "Key To The City"
Fatlip "What's Up Fatlip?"
Mdsta Ace "Observations"
(had)
PLANET EARTH
Broke
THE NEW ALBUM
FEATURING "BARTENDER," "KILLING TIME,"
"FEEL GOOD" AND "BOOM CHOW YOU LIKE THAT)"
MIXED BY STEVE THOMPSON AND JOHN GOODMANSON
PRODUCED BY MACHINE
ALBUM IN STORES
BEST
BUY
AUGUST 22, 2000. PEEP IT.
GET ONLINE WITH CHED AT
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