>and MIXMASTER
>MIKE. all three of them are on asphodel records
you should check out the invisble scratch pickles (its spelled in a totally
different way, but i forgot how) -- i'm not sure if he's with them any more,
but mixmastere mike used to spin with them.. needless to say, they're damn
good
you should also check out the silent lambs project and the classic elements
compilation, both distributed by k records... both are astonishing
matt
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thursday, December 03, 1998 4:31 AM
Subject: [MMouse]: hip hop rant
> hmm, im kinda scared to post this to the whole list, but its sorta slow
>lately, aside from tshirt stuff, and ive gotten feedback from people that
saw
>that i listed the rza and method man albums on the bottom of my email, so
ill
>give it a go. amen to BLACKSTAR. im pretty indie rock(uggh), but i truly
>believe that the most innovative music coming out nowadays is hip hop. the
>blackstar album "mos def and talb kweli are blackstar" is hands down my
>favorite album of the year.
> if you think hip hop is just the stuff you see on mtv, then youre
wrong.
>i got into a big conversation about this today with coworkers. basically
this
>one guy was like "rap sucks, theyre all niggers. theres no musical talent
>involved". so i fucking went nuts, not only cos of the musical statement
but
>because hes a fucking racist.
>most hip hop is more musical (im trying to think of a better term) than
almost
>anything youll hear on your average alternative rock station. which is
what
>this guy listens to. basically he only hears whats on mtv and half that
stuff
>is crappy R&B. he was dissing the whole musical genre/culture known as hip
>hop, without even hearing anything that actually constitutes real hip hop.
>theres a difference between ignorance and stupidity. but he exemplified
both
>at the same time. hes ignorant to hip hop, but he was just plain stupid
for
>the fact that he was putting it down as a whole when really didnt know that
>much about it. his statements were pretty fucked up, but i tried my best
not
>to get beet red and explode, so i just explained some stuff to him.
> but anyway, i think alot of people share his views, and its
unfortunate.
>theres so much good hip hop out there to listen to, and hip hop shows are
so
>much damn fun, and love and equality is most definately a huge focus in the
>hip hop community(as far as shows). ive only been to a few in the last
couple
>of months, and ive missed a shitload. here in ny, theres a lot going on in
>terms of hip hop.
>they were some my all time fav shows tho...krs one at tramps, beastie
boys/krs
>one at nassau colliseum, a tribe called quest at towson university in md.,
run
>dmc/non phixion at tramps, blackstar at s.o.b.s, black anger(k records) at
>tramps, and just last week, blackstar/a tribe called quest at hammerstein
>ballroom.
> ok, im realizing this is getting really long, but that argument i had
>today is fresh in my mind. i just want everyone to know how much good hip
hop
>is out there.
>as far indie hip hop, theres alot, but ive just been getting into most of
it
>lately so...
>theres a label called rawkus recordings in nyc. thats the label that
>BLACKSTAR is on, as well solo MOS DEF stuff, solo TALIB KWELI stuff,
COMPANY
>FLOW, SIR MENELIK, SHABAAM SAHDEEQ, MEDINA GREEN, and much more as well as
the
>lyricist lounge compilation. basically anything on this label is really,
>really good. some other indie stuff is the the X-ECUTIONERS(aka the
X-
>MEN), who are an amazing, amazing turntablist group. DJ SPOOKY, and
MIXMASTER
>MIKE. all three of them are on asphodel records. then theres NON PHIXION
and
>the ARSONISTS(the arsonists are now signed to matador, interesting). and
>indie for the most part, KOOL KEITH(aka DR OCTAGON, formerly of the
>ultramagnetic mcs).
> my other favorite rap duo, besides blackstar, but very different than,
is
>MOBB DEEP. theyre amazing MCs. im telling you, they paint pictures with
their
>words, albeit violent pictures. and produce some of the tightest, most
evil
>music in hip hop. their albums have a bunch of wu tang guest spots too.
> NAS is really incredible too, especially his first album, he got a
little
>glossier on his second. "phone tap" from the FIRM album on which he
appears,
>is one my favorite songs, im sure some people have heard that before.
> as far as "concious rap" goes, groups/mcs with alot to say as well as
>crazy tracks are CHANNEL LIVE and JERU THE DAMAJA. if you like blackstar
you
>probably like stuff like this.
> of course theres the WU TANG CLAN. everyone should know them and know
>how amazing RZA is. i could go on forever about wu tang and all the solo
>albums, method man, genius, raekwon, odb, ghostface, cappadonna, but. and
>theres a whole family of wu tang off shoots as well: SUNZ OF MAN,
GRAVEDIGGAZ,
>KILLARMY, and theres some decent stuff on the wu tang killer bees comp.
and
>theres bunch of other crazy producers besides rza in the wu family.
> ok, ill end this with a bunch of stuff im sure people have atleast
heard
>of...
>A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, DE LA SOUL, JUNGLE BROTHERS. they all came out in
the
>late eighties and pretty much pioneered the whole nonviolent hip hop thang.
>KRS ONE/BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS: krs one is one my favs, he too paints
pretty
>amazing pictures with his words. this man has so damn much to say, and hes
>truly brilliant, a hip hop scholar if you may. and he moves a crowd like
no
>one else.
>GANG STARR: GURU is the smoothest mc with his monotone, and always has
>something interesting to say. DJ PREMIER is the best dj/producer ever!
hes
>by far the most musical. he also plays drums, bass and keyboards. hes
also
>produced stuff for krs one, jeru the damaja, and nas.
>its late and im getting tired so, ill leave with a short list of other
>classic rap acts: PUBLIC ENEMY, RAKIM (eric b. and rakim), EPMD, RUN DMC.
> if you actually read this, thanks. especially for listening to my
rant
>about that argument. if anyone wants to talk hip hop, or anything else
drop
>me a line.
>xo brian
