Reading Well: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Mohsin Hamid‘s debut novel, Exit West (2017) is a most rare creature: a gentle dystopian work.

Exit West begins in an unnamed city in the Middle East (the geography can easily be inferred, but nothing terribly specific is confirmed), and traces a budding love affair between two youth, caught in the early days of a terribly violent revolutionary conflict. The conflict increases in its danger, and widens in its impact until the basic routines of life–work, the finding of food, the predictability of shelter–are totally disrupted.

Here enters the fantastical element upon which Exit West turns: doors have begun to appear in the world. Jet black, and seemingly random in their appearance, these doors allow a free and unfettered global movement, and while initially they are overwhelmed with the movements of refugees, they also eventually are adapted as a mode of more general travel.

The protagonists move from a refugee camp in Mykonos to one in London, where the threat of radical violence in raction to the migrants’ arrival is navigated. They end up outside of San Francisco, in Marin, and there come to terms with the changes wrought in themselves and their relationship by the exit from their homeland and their subsequent struggles to find a permanent home.

The book is compelling and, as mentioned, gentle, providing a rich description of the protagonists’ concerns and desires, and despite its somewhat grand scope, is far more a novel of characters than of plot: it is a story of people, and of how their longing for home, whether as a place of origin or a place of refuge. It reads easily, and if you are drawn in by the first few dozen pages, it is likely you will find yourself satisfied throughout, and finished more quickly than you anticipated.

#WhatIWishICouldDo

Hamid ignores the standard injunction of show, don’t tell throughout, directly describing thoughts and motivations, and only afterwards describing the actions they manifest.

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Hip Hop History: Part VII

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Hip Hop History Part 7: 2001 to Kendrick

Part 1 can be found here.
Part 2 can be found here.
Part 3 can be found here.
Part 4 can be found here.
Part 5 can be found here.
Part 6 can be found here.

This is really meant to just catch up to the present day, while also highlighting just how much commercial hip hop (again, a la Tricia Rose) dominated the past few decades.

Once again, I’ll let you find all the T.I. and Ludacris and Young Jeezy tracks you want, and only grudgingly will talk about everyone’s favorite Canadian, Drake. We’re doing close to 20 years, so we’re going to change our format some, move out of strict chronological order occasionally, and explicitly recognize just how much we’re skimming.

#Key Cuts

Lose Yourself by Eminem (2002) seems like a good place to start. Often hailed as the greatest hip hop song of all time, even if you discount a lot of its success as being due to Eminem’s whiteness … well … it’s a helluva song. The first verse gets the love (there is, I think, something people find endearing about Mom’s spaghetti especially),  but it’s the third verse that deserves the adoration: it’s not particularly unusual in hip hop for the 3rd verse to break the rules of the first 2, usually just by a refusal to stop (see Public Enemy‘s Raise the Roof for another example), but it is done here to such incredible dramatic effect.

Hey Ya! by OutKast (2003). There are better OutKast songs from a lyrical perspective, and there are more creative OutKast songs overall. But there is no song that took over the public like Hey Ya! It’s a bit odd that André 3000 and Big Boi‘s biggest hit would be taken from the oversized, sprawling Speakerboxxx/The Love Below which also includes some of their most adventurous work.

Gasolina by Daddy Yankee (2004). The Latinx community has been present in hip hop from the beginning, and there have been Spanish language microgenres and hits since the early days. But reggaeton marked a new apex, combining hip hop with Caribbean beats and Spanish lyrics in a way that filled dance floors all over (and continues to generate a steady stream of crossover artists). Gasolina was inescapable that summer, helping to cement reggaeton as an international phenomenon.

Hustle & Flow (It Ain’t Over) by DJay (2005). Hustle & Flow–the movie and the soundtrack–offer a strong exemplar for the conversation about masculinity and hip hop. Both film and songs are very strong, featuring a great lead performance by Terrence Howard and a theme song (It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp) by 3 Six Mafia that famously at the time had won one more Oscar than Martin Scorsese.

Paper Planes by M.I.A. (2007). An anthem about globalization by a militant Sri Lankan in collaboration with her American DJ boyfriend (Diplo, with whom she was breaking up at the time), featuring fantastic hooks and a beat made from the noise of gunshots and cash registers, made in sessions held in Brooklyn and London (and featuring a children’s chorus from Brixton) … what more could you ask for?

Wavin’ Flag by K’Naan (2009). I guess one answer to the previous question is, another song about globalization, this one by a Somali immigrant with highly political lyrics that was later co-opted by one of the worlds largest multi-national corporations as the feel-good theme of the World Cup? K’Naan deserved better, both in treatment and, more importantly, in the direction of his music. After a fantastic hip hop debut, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, he produced an overly produced, commercialized, R&B tinged album, and has never really recovered.

Headlines by Drake (2011). OK, OK, Drizzy deserves a mention, just for his chart dominating presence. And, there is something a bit different about the mixture of flow and generally more R&B/dance aimed stylings. Most blame the fact he’s Canadian.

Thrift Shop (2012) and Same Love (2013) with Mary Lambert by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. 2005’s White Privilege is worth a listen as well, largely because it should severely complicate the conversation about Macklemore getting a Grammy ahead of Kendrick. But these two songs are the two horns of the dilemma for evaluating the Seattle native. On the one hand, there is the raucous, anthemic Thrift Shop which, for all of its feel-good attraction, is another example of a moment where the artists’ whiteness clearly impacted the songs’ success. The other is a heartwarming declaration of equality for all, couched in emotionally direct lyrics.

The Space Program by A Tribe Called Quest (2016). This was quite a surprise: not that ATCQ made another album–lots of aging musicians were doing that–but rather that the album was so strong, proving that it was possible to remain relevant, funky, and lyrically skilled. The album’s impact was deepened by the sudden passing of Phife Dawg shortly after its release, making it absolutely the final Tribe album (and even it was made without Shaheed Ali Muhammed as a DJ). Kendrick‘s guest track, Conrad Tokyo, is included on DeepCuts as well.

And then, Kendrick Lamar.

We don’t have time to really explore the full complexities of his output and their impact on hip hop. The short version is that, against the party anthem emptiness of the late 00’s, his voice rings out with more impact than might be expected, with some mix of his honesty and technical brilliance on the mic. Lyrically, he ranks up there with the great narrative voices in hip hop and, especially in terms of trying to reconcile a violent past with a sense of the future, is a clear heir to Tupac. Tupac’s songs had more pure funk to them, but a far narrower narrative scope.

The run of albums from good kid, m.A.A.d. city (2012) to To Pimp A Butterfly (2015) to DAMN. (2017) offer an insight into the contemporary urban African American experience that is unmatched. Here is how Tricia Rose defined hip hop in 1994:

A black cultural expression that prioritizes black voices from the margins of urban America. (Rose 1994)

So that’s that. And, of course, if it seems odd that we’re giving this much attention to a contemporary artist, we can just point to Kendrick‘s Pulitzer Prize: whether it was given to him as a stand-in for decades of hip hop artistry being ignored by various institutions, or for his career’s body of work, or for the contemporary relevance of DAMN., it was given to him.

On the main playlist, we have Swimming Pool (Drank), Money Trees, King Kunta, and DUCKWORTH. which combine to give a good enough overview to the range of Kendrick‘s output. Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst and Poetic Justice with Drake (both 2012); i and The Blacker the Berry (2015), and DNA. and FEAR. (2017) are on DeepCuts.

As always, DeepCuts can be found at http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-deep

#The Moguls

Again, I assume finding songs by Kanye West and Jay-Z is pretty easy. But that doesn’t mean they can be ignored. This is an unusual sampling, perhaps, but I think sufficient to introduce their style and perspective. Their influence cannot be underestimated, but that alone should be seen as at least a little problematic, both in their misogyny and in their commercialism.

As an example, a selection of cuts from Kanye: “Jesus Walks” (2004); “All Falls Down” (2004) with Syleena Johnson; “Gold Digger” (2005), with Jamie Foxx; “Good Life” (2007), with T-Pain; “Stronger” (2007); “Heartless” (2008). And, “99 Problems” (2003) from Jay-Z for good measure.

#The South Done Rose Again

If OutKast represented the creative margins of southern hip hop, Nelly was its commercial center (an argument could be made for Ludacris, sure), and “EI” (2001) is a decent representation of his album, Country Grammar. But if you want to look at something between those two, check out Nappy Roots, whose Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz (2002) is a masterpiece in fuzzy, high speed, country life. Check out especially “Country Boyz” & “Awnaw.” Also included is UGK & OutKast‘s 2007 collaboration, “International Players Anthem (I Choose You).”

Perhaps the proof of the impact of southern hip hop came in the form of Bubba Sparxxx, who rode a self-proclaimed white trash strain to brief chart success, see 2003’s “Deliverance” for an example.

#Party Anthems

Party anthems became a huge commercial lane for hip hop, from “Get Low” (2002) by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz & the Ying Yang Twins (along with, well, virtually everything else those two groups did independently or in collaboration) to 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” (2003) to the later vacuity of Soulja Boy‘s “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” (2007); Lil’ Wayne‘s “Lollipop” (2008); Flo Rida & T-Pain‘s “Low” (2008); Usher, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz &  Ludicris‘ “Yeah!” (2011); or Sage the Gemini & IamSu‘s “Gas Pedal” (2013). This movement reached a sort-of logical and inevitable conclusion in trap–Fetty Wap‘s “Trap Queen” (2014) perhaps being the exemplar.

Nothing wrong with party anthems. But when that’s all you have, you end up with Pitbull. Just saying.

#The International Scene: Getting Grimey in the UK

Grime was–and remains–such a phenomenon that it deserves some attention outside of our usual tour around the world. There is a lot to unpack: first, the fuzzed out, hyper-forward bass is related to turn of the century technology, to more music being consumed at lower levels of fidelity through less sophisticated speakers/headphones/ear buds. Second, the means of production–you know, laptops and drum machines–are more and more available to more and more people.

Those forces combine with musical traditions in the UK–Caribbean traditions, hip hop imported from the USA, emerging ragga and dancehall, and others–and grime is born.

As with anything, the origins are disputed: Youngster & MC Viper‘s “Pulse X” was released in 2002, but most point to Wiley as the godfather of grime, and specifically to his 2004 album Treddin’ On Thin Ice (as well as the song by the same name) which, in addition to full songs, contained 3 isolated beats that gave birth to years of imitators (“Icerink,” “Avalanche,” and “Eskimo”). We’ve included the song “Treddin’ On Thin Ice” and the “Eskimo” beat here, as well as Wiley’s 2011 song, “Yonge Street (1,1778 Miles Long)” as proof that Grime–and Wiley himself–remain with us.

#The International Scene: Speaking in the UK

Spoken word has always played a role in hip hop, but nobody pushed those boundaries in more imaginative ways than The Streets in the early 2000s in the UK. The rhythms were hip hop, the lyrical structure was hip hop, but the delivery was … sing-song? Spoken? Whatever it was, Mike Skinner was certainly not spitting rhymes in the way anyone was used to.

But the words were consistently honest and direct and provided an insight into contemporary UK culture that nobody else provided.

From A Grand Don’t Come for Free (2004), we have “Could Well Be In,” and “Dry Your Eyes;” and from The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (2006) “Never Went to Church.”

There is nothing that really connects The Streets to Kate Tempest. But I had to mention her somewhere. Tempest was an award winning poet before she turned to hip hop, and it shows: there is a lyrical complexity to her work that is rarely found in the genre. And it’s not spoken word: Tempest has flow. “Theme From Becky” (2014) is a nice example of everything coming together for her on a cut.

#The Rest of the International Scene

It’s no longer enough to qualify to just be the first hip hop group from Argentina or Portugal or whatever. Some artists and/or cuts of note

  • Brainpower (Netherlands). Intelligent lyrics (some in English, even). Representative track: “Even Stil” (2001).
  • Tricky (UK). “Evolution Revolution Love” (2001).
  • Absolute Beginner (Germany). “Gustav Gans” (2003) continues the derivative tradition of German hip hop. (An interesting and notable exception to this was the rise of pro-Islamic German hip hop during this time.)
  • K-Dub Shine (Japan). “Setsumei Fuyou” (2003). Another way the genre spread: K-Dub Shine spent a year as an exchange student in Philadelphia, which lead to a very East Coast, and not-at-all Japanese sounding brand of hip hop.
  • King Kapisi (New Zealand). “Whiplash” (2005).
  • Awadi (Senegal). “Jamais vu” (2005). Senegal and South Africa have emerged as the richest hip hop traditions on the African continent, although vibrant scenes are found in Nigeria, Ghana (see MzBel‘s “16 Years” (2006) for an example of HipLife, a fusion of Ghanaian High Life and hip hop), and across Arab North Africa, and you can find the music virtually everywhere (for example, from Uganda, Peter Miles & Menshan‘s “One Time” (2007)).
  • Subliminal (Israel). “In Tel Aviv” with Wyclef Jean (2006). There is a tendency to assign a certain rebellious nature to hip hop in foreign languages, and there is a need to look a little deeper. This may apply to standard sexism–like the cut from Fintelligens–or to an artist like Subliminal, whose politics are very conservative. It’s unclear if Wyclef was aware of this when they collaborated: he very well may have been, as Jean has often been associated with more conservative causes than his former Fugee partners.
  • Lowkey can be seen as a KRS-One for the contemporary UK: uncompromising politics, and a style that stresses narrative over lyrical technique. See his 2011 album, Soundtrack to the Struggle, and as representative tracks, “Cradle of Civilisation” (with Mai Khalil) and “Something Wonderful.”

And, of course, we check back in with our French talisman, MC Solaar, who is finishing a run of four great albums. Check out “Au pays de Gandhi” (2003) and “Au clair de la lune” (2007) (with its shout-out to Ice-T‘s “6 ‘N The Morning” from way back when).

France also brought the politically charged Diam‘s, whose 2006 album Dans Ma Bulle dominated the charts and gave a very public, youthful voice of resistance to the inroads being made by the ultra-conservative forces in French politics, most notably in “Ma France à Moi.”

We had checked in with Australia’s Hilltop Hoods in the last entry; they continued to revive an old-school brand of hip hop. See their declaration of belief, “The Calling” (2003); their version of a party anthem, “Nosebleed Section” (2004); and their song about raising a child with Leukemia, “Through the Dark” (2014). Hilltop Hoods weren’t, of course, the only hip hop group in Australia, so we’ve included Drapht‘s “Who Am I” (2005).

#Turntablism

I’ve tried to avoid lists of names in this series, but we’re sort of at that point. If you want to find out what happened to the art of being a DJ, check out Mix Master Mike, DJ Spooky, Cut Chemist, Kid Koala, DJ Q-Bert, or DJ Shadow, among others.

#Local Success

My assumption is there are dozens, if not hundreds, of groups like Blue Scholars: hip hop artists that for whatever reason–some combination of poor luck, being a little too “alternative” (again, whatever that means), and, well, probably more bad luck–never made the jump from local band to national success. Hailing from Seattle, WA, Blue Scholars produced a string of first rate albums, and are here as a nod to them and all of the bands with similar careers.

“Southside Revival” (2005), “North by Northwest” (2007), “The Distance” (2007).

#Childish, Chance, and Tyler: The New Alternative? And, Aesop Rock.

It would be remiss not to highlight a growing swath of hip hop that is … well … alternative. This is a different kind of alternative, though: whereas the term historically has had connotations of both politics and a lack of commercial potential, these artists are simply not following mainstream templates for success.

The current manifestation owes a lot to the earlier work of Lupe Fiasco, but we’ve  represented them with “3005” (2013) and “Worldstar” (2014) by Childish Gambino (the performing persona of Donald Glover); “Sunday Candy” (2015) and “Cocoa Butter Kisses” (2013) by Chance the Rapper, and “48” (2013) by Tyler the Creator, Frank Ocean & Nas.

There needs to be some mention of Aesop Rock as well. This is a great link about the vocabularies of different MC’s. Aesop Rock is way, way, way out there on the right hand side. His style–while clearly hip hop in its delivery–is highly abstract, and, well, pretty white (if such a designation exists). He’s a bit of a polarizing figure–some dismiss him for a lack of flow and/or a lack of straightforward content; others see him as one of the most technically complex lyricists currently active.  “No Regrets” (2001) details a visual artist’s life; “Daylight” (2001) is more of a mood piece.

#Other

“Lighters Up” (2005) by Lil’ Kim. Lil’ Kim has been on a few tracks in this series, but we’ve never really focused on the aggressive sexuality she embodied. It’s a complex question: is there something feminist in the way she repositions and reappropriates male tropes? Is there power in doing so? “Lighters Up” avoids those questions, focusing on a dancehall influence tribute to Brooklyn instead. Consider this, along with “Work It” (2002) by Missy Elliott and “Tambourine” (2007) by Eve & Swizz Beats as a nod to the continued presence of female rappers in the mainstream hip hop game.

“Beat Box” (2005) by Matisyahu. Matisyahu was a bit of a phenomenon: a Hasidic Jew rapping in a reggae vein about religion, mysticism, and the mysteries of, as he would write, G-d. This, taken from his Live At Stubb’s album (Stubb’s is a performance space in Austin, TX), showcases his abilities more than his religion.

“Lord Give Me A Sign” (2006) by DMX. Still going strong.

“Imma Be” (2009) by The Black Eyed Peas. Remember, they performed at a Super Bowl halftime show: they were huge back in the day, and deserve some attention as an example of the highly popular, highly commercialized versions of hip hop that proliferated after the turn of the millennium.

And … we’re out.

Thanks for sticking with it, hope you enjoy the sounds and even learned something.

Hey, Chuck! We got some non-believers out there!
– Flava Flav

If Hip Hop has the ability to corrupt young minds, it also has the ability to uplift them.
– KRS-One

Back in the days when I was a teenager
Before I had status and before I had a pager
You could find the Abstract listening to hip hop
My pops used to say it reminded him of be-bop.
– Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest

Do you hear me, do you feel me, we gon’ be alright.
– Kendrick Lamar

Posted in Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hip Hop History: Part VI

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Hip Hop History Part 6: 1997 to 2000

Part 1 can be found here.
Part 2 can be found here.
Part 3 can be found here.
Part 4 can be found here.
Part 5 can be found here. 

Ah, the homestretch …

Hypnotize by The Notorious B.I.G. (1997). This is the capstones for Biggie’s career (along with his verse on the otherwise mediocre group track It’s All About the Benjamins in DeepCuts). The flow is immaculate, including the oft-cited dozen-plus internal rhymes in 5 lines in the first full verse. RIP.

Wayfarin’ Stranger by Spearhead (1997) & UMI Says by Mos Def (1999). Two totally idiosyncratic choice, but the mix of Michael Franti‘s ultrabass, Joan Osborne‘s voice, and the narrative skill is, for me, irresistible. It is also Spearhead at the peak of their powers: Franti would make a sort-of New Age turn after this, embracing peace and yoga, which while fantastic for him and his mental health and his state of being in the world, also reduced the impact of his music. That’s a complex issue, for sure. Mos Def‘s mother’s nickname is Umi, making an incredible song even sweeter.

Ruff Ryder’s Anthem by DMX (1998). DMX’s delivery and style are quintessential late 1990s hip hop, and point towards the extreme commercialization of the genre that is coming. He isn’t mentioned much today, but he was a dominant force, and remains firmly in various top ten lists of highest selling hip hop artists of all time.

He Got Game by Public Enemy (1998). The final great cut from PE, of note also is the incorporation of live contributions from Stephen Stills and the samples from Buffalo Springfield. It also has one of the few riffs by Flava Flav that is (almost) in complete sentences.

What It’s Like by Everlast (1998) and Love for Real by Everlast & N’Dea Davenport (2000). We’ve heard from Everlast before, as the leader of House of Pain, but here he starts a very strong run of albums (including the two represented here: 1998’s Whitey Ford Sings the Blues and 2000’s Eat At Whitey’s) that explore the overlap between acoustic blues and hip hop. If that sounds odd, check out Michael Franti‘s album Songs from the Front Porch from 2004, which contains acoustic versions of Spearhead favorites. With regards to these two songs, the first was major commercial hit, spurring another entry in the but, is it hip hop? debate; the second is a sweet sentiment, and also meant to honor all of the female vocalists who made hip hop collaborations a part of their career (Davenport worked extensively with Guru, among others).

Alphabet Aerobics by Blackalicious, Lateef the Truthspeaker & Cut Chemist (1999). One of the peak MC performances of all time, much imitated on YouTube (including one by Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe), but never really matched. When at his best, Gift of Gab is a nearly unmatched lyrical force behind the mic.

1979 by Hilltop Hoods (1999). This probably belongs in the International section below, but it’s not because (a) Hilltop Hoods (represent, represent) are pretty incredible, led by the MC skills of Pressure and Suffa and (b) the song encapsulates a lot of complexity around the globalization of an art form. These are three Australian musicians talking about a longing for hip hop in 1979 (which, as you know, really wasn’t much) and inventing a nostalgia for a time they never knew nor ever had access to. That’s … oddly interesting.

Hip Hop by Dead Prez (2000). It’s not clear how Hip Hop became such a hit: hip hop groups as militant as Dead Prez get very marginal treatment, regardless of their skill (see Spearhead and The Coup for 2 examples). On most of the rest of the tracks on Let’s Get Free, the MC duo of M-1 and stic.man pull no punches, preaching a profoundly radical version of Afrocentric politics with clarity. This track focuses more on the music business itself, and perhaps that is what helped it spread more widely. Regardless, I’m glad it did.

Hello by Ice Cube, Dr. Dre & MC Ren (2000). An infectious beat, and a demand for respect for one’s elders direct from the foundation of west coast hip hop.

Ms. Jackson by OutKast (2000). 1998’s Aquemini started a run of creative brilliance for OutKast that is hard to match in hip hop. The difference here is the ability of André 3000 and Big Boi to keep moving, to keep evolving their sound. Such experimentation hits some false notes, for sure, but in a genre often quite content to just recycle the same beats with a few new lyrics, it stands out. Ms. Jackson proved it could succeed in the marketplace as well.

My Name Is (1999) and The Real Slim Shady (2000) by Eminem. And so it begins … an annoying hook and a series of staccato questions, and we are introduced to the maddeningly skilled and equally maddeningly adolescent Marshall Mathers. Eminem is, in one sense, the end of the first generation of hip hop: we culminate with a rapper who has undeniably mad lyrical skills. To what degree does that lead to his sales, and to what degree does his whiteness play a part? To what degree is his rampant misogyny an act (and an act that horrifyingly seems also to drive his sales) and to what degree should that matter? Welcome to hip hop in the 21st century, y’all.

The Spotify playlist is here: http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-6

DeepCuts

“Songs” appear in quotation marks, Albums in italics without quotations, and Artists in bold.

DeepCuts can be found here: http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-deep

#The International Scene

It all explodes.

MC Solaar is still hard at work, with “Daydreamin” from his hit album Paradisiaque and his appearance on Missy Elliott‘s “All N My Grill” exposing him much more broadly in the USA. But hip hop begins to be produced from all corners of the globe, and while much of it is incredibly derivative of hip hop in the USA, much of it is also just quite good. Examples:

  • “Susanne zur Freiheit,” a sort-of all-German posse cut from Fischmob, Stieber Twins, Dendemann, Hausmarke & Smudo (1997);
  • “Pose ton gun” by Suprême NTM (1998) who, along with IAM, came to dominate the more hardcore side of French hip hop. Also from France, Nemesis‘ “Elle Laisse Parler la Poudre” (1997).
  • “Mundian to Bach Ke” by Panjabi MC (1999), illustrating just how seamless the fit is between some Indian traditions, especially bhangra, and hip hop.
  • “Screems From De Old Plantation” by King Kapisi (1999). From New Zealand.
  • “Nu Ma Schimbi” by Paraziti (1999). Austrian hip hop with flow.
  • “Heruuks” by Fintelligens (2000). Finnish hip hop with even better flow, but after reading a translation of the lyrics, I wished I hadn’t. Misogyny is part of the export as well.
  • “Siya Jola” by M’Du (1998) and “Uzoyithola Kanjani” by Mandoza (2000). Both are fusions with a South African genre called kwaito which melded quite naturally with hip hop.

#Alternative Hip Hop

Still hate the term.

The West Coast sees a bit of a renaissance with a loose alliance of related MCs and DJs that float among quite a few groups, including: Jurassic 5, Quanuum, Latryx, as well as solo efforts from Lyrics Born, Cut Chemist, Chali 2Na, Lateef the Truthspeaker, DJ Shadow, Gift of Gab. Some representative cuts (in addition to “Alphabet Aerobics” above, and expanding the timeframe a few years):

  • Jurassic 5: “Concrete Schoolyard” (1998); “What’s Golden” (2002)
  • Jurassic 5 & Quanuum MCs: “Concentration” (1999). This is perhaps the most brilliant group syncopation cut ever. Perhaps.
  • Blackalicious: “Do This My Way” (1999), “Make You Feel That Way” (2002)
  • Blackalicious, Lateef the Truthspeaker & Cut Chemist: “Deception” (1999)
  • Lyrics Born: “Callin’ Out” (2003)

#Yasiin Bey (born Dante Smith, better known as Mos Def)

In hindsight, the late 1990s were Mos Def‘s world, and the rest of us were just living in it. It didn’t feel that way at the time, but the influence of his MC output over those years continues to be felt, from his work with Talib Kweli as Black Star to his 1999 solo album, Black on Both Sides. Key cuts include the fantastically under-appreciated “Umi Says” and the lyrical classic “Re:Definition,” as well as “Mathematics,” “Travellin’ Man,” “Children’s Story,” and  “Ms. Fat Booty.”

#Commercial Hip Hop

I’m following Tricia Rose‘s use of the term to identify hip hop that is more and more packaged for commercial consumption. It’s no accident that “Gangster rap” and low-content party songs would dominate the genre for a few decades, and the question of to what degree that is a result of artistic choice v. commercial interest is complicated. In any case, songs that charted well, but aren’t really in my focus (and, as such, aren’t included on DeepCuts) during this period include “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” by Puff Daddy;  “Been Around the World” by Puff Daddy & The Family; “What You Want” and “Feel So Good” by Mase;  “Lookin’ At Me” by Mase & Puff Daddy; “Ghetto Cowboy” by Mo Thugs & Bone Thugs-N-Harmony; “Who Dat” by JT Money & Sole; “Hot Boyz” by Missy Elliott, Nas, Eve & Q-Tip, “Wobble Wobble” by 504 Boyz; “Callin’ Me” by Lil’ Zane & 112; “Bounce With Me” by Lil Bow Wow & Xscape; “Baby If You’re Ready” by Snoop Dogg & Doggys Angels.

Note the name repetition: the late 1990s were the heyday of posses turning into conglomerates, organized around record labels. The desire to be an MC blends into the desire to be a “mogul.”

#Notable Cuts: 1997

“It’s All About the Benjamins (Remix)” by Puff Daddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Lil’ Kim & The Lox; “Why Oh Why” & “Ganja Babe”  by Spearhead; “Step Into A World (Rapture’s Delight)” by KRS-One.

#Notable Cuts: 1998

“Ends” by Everlast; “Gone til November” by Wyclef Jean; “Feel So Good” by Mase; “Rosa Parks” & “Aquemini” by OutKast.

#Notable Cuts: 1999 (I don’t understand why 1999 has so many more, either)

“Vivrant Thing” and “Breathe & Stop” by Q-Tip; “Mathematics” by Mos Def; “You Got Me” by The Roots & Erykah Badu; “Still D.R.E.” by Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre; “Big Pimpin'” by Jay-Z & UGK; “Wild Wild West” by Will Smith; “Doomsday” by MF Doom & Pebbles the Invisible Girl; “Quiet Storm” by Mobb Deep & Lil’ Kim; “Holla Holla” by Jah Rule.

#Notable Cuts: 2000

“I Can’t Move” by Everlast; “Children’s Story” by Everlast & Rahzel; “One, Two” by Everlast & Kurupt; “Ride Wit Me” by Nelly.

Continue on to Part VII.

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Hip Hop History: Part V

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Hip Hop History Part 5: 1994 to 1996

Part 1 can be found here.
Part 2 can be found here.
Part 3 can be found here.
Part 4 can be found here. 

For many, this is the “Golden Age” of hip hop.

As you may guess, I’m a bit suspect of such labels. Still, there is some merit: two of the unquestioned lyrical masters are at their peak in The Notorious B.I.G. and Nas; there is a diversity in musical styles that encourages and supports creativity and exploration; and the overwhelming wave of commercial interests has yet to truly crest.

That said, the themes of the main playlist are growing repetitive: material gain, violence both threatened and executed, paranoia, sexual dominance. Most exceptions are relegated to DeepCuts, but it’s also part of what makes I Used to Love H.E.R., Nappy Heads, and I Wish stand out (although I Wish treats the same material, just with a different perspective).

New York State of Mind by Nas (1994). Nas’ debut album, Illmatic, deserves some special attention. Generally considered one of the finest MC offerings of all time, New York State of Mind often tops lists of the greatest individual MC track as well. AZ–a fantastic MC in his own right–debuted on Life’s A Bitch, and both The World is Yours and It Ain’t Hard to Tell deserve a listen. But it’s New York State of Mind that gives us I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death, delivered both as a warning to the facts of life and a philosophical insight.

Juicy by The Notorious B.I.G. (1994). Seems fitting to pair this with Nas. The first verse is a legendary homage to Biggie’s rise to stardom. It also demonstrates a rhyme pattern that Biggie perfected, where a rhyme moves from the inside of a line to two consecutive line endings (It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up! magazine | Salt-n-Pepa and Heavy D in the limousine).

Gin and Juice by Snoop Dogg (1994). A song so funky, it carries not one, but two chorus hooks. Like much of Snoop’s early output, it owes as much of it success to the laid-back smoothness of the delivery as it does to the groove laid down by Dr. Dre. Also, Snoop was facing murder charges at the time (he was acquitted), so the opening lines are a great act of understatement: With so much drama in the L-B-C
It’s kind of hard being Snoop D-O-double-G. L-B-C refers to Long Beach, California, a neighborhood bordering (and in rivalry with) its better known neighbor, Compton.

Shook Ones, Part 2 by Mobb Deep (1994). The style represented by Mobb Deep–dark and violent, with a delivery marked by hard, staccato rhythms, and backed by a complex layers of samples–would become the norm over the next several years (although Havoc‘s production skills outstrip many imitators).

Whatta Man by Salt-N-Pepa & En Vogue (1994). As much to demonstrate Salt-N-Pepa’s continued influence as to mark a moment beyond which hip hop crossovers stop raising eyebrows. En Vogue at this point was coming off a triple platinum album and had already amassed 5 #1 hits: there was no bigger R&B group that a hip hop artist could work with.

I Used to Love H.E.R. by Common (1994). We mentioned this cut at the top of Part IV. It does as good a job as many essays, blog, and opinion pieces in summarizing the journey of hip hop, from the parties in the South Bronx through the twists and turns of its early development. Common is not happy with where he sees the art from heading. Two small points: I’ve seen H.E.R. explained as Hearing Every Rhyme and as Hip hop in its Essence is Real; and, note that the overarching metaphor of the song remains a masculine perspective paired with sexual conquest.

Regulate by Warren G & Nate Dogg (1994). The narrative is cliche, the MC skills are average. But that hook! Those vocals! The contrast between the smooth R&B stylings and the lyrics! Irresistible.

Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartical Mix) by Ini Kamoze (1994). This is an idiosyncratic choice for sure, but damn I love this song. And, the continued reminder of the Caribbean connections for hip hop don’t heart.

I Wish by Skee-Lo (1995). Yeah, the underlying gender relations are still messy, and the interconnections between women, status, and material stuff are still problematic. But Skee-Lo manages to sidestep all of the bravado with a song “for the rest of us” that became a hit, and also reminded us that hip hop could be at its best while maintaining its sense of humor.

Dear Mama (1995) & All Eyez On Me (1996) by 2Pac. The comet that burned brightly and briefly against the hip hop night. One question for old folks that can be used to reveal just how enmeshed in hip hop culture they were is, where were you when 2Pac died? Biggie? By the spring of 1997, both would be gone. These two songs mark the apex of Tupac’s output, and come at a moment where he was very much trying to think through the implications of growing up, and how to navigate the contradictions and complexity of his own life. Biggie would have produced several more masterpieces of technique. But 2Pac might have produced art that helped shape the way we understood the world. Hint: this is Kendrick‘s real predecessor.

Crossroads by Bone Thugs N Harmony (1996). Lots of hip hop songs talk about death and many mention the devastation it leaves behind, but many fewer talk about mourning. Mix that with the vocal stylings of Bone Thugs N Harmony, and you have a hit, and a fairly unique sound (especially with male voices) in the annals of hip hop.

Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check by Busta Rhymes (1996). If you’re paying close attention, you’ll recognize that the chorus is actually lifted from The Sugarhill Gang‘s 8th Wonder. But the style and delivery is all Busta Rhymes (whose debut on Scenario was discussed in Part IV), bass and rasp and bravado from an artist who was as impactful for his visual fashion as his unique delivery.

Cold Rock A Party by MC Lyte & Missy Elliott (1996). This was a hit for MC Lyte, but is included more for the passing of the torch to an electrically talented young MC in Missy Elliott. We’ll hear more from her. While MC Lyte kept producing music after this, this was the last significant hit of her career as an MC.

No Diggity by BLACKstreet & Dr. Dre (1996). Included as much for its hook as for its presence as proof as to just how blurred the line between hip hop and other genres is by this point–is there something that makes it hop hop before Queen Pen‘s guest verse? Does that alone make it hip hop? Is Dre’s presence as producer sufficient?

The Spotify playlist is here: http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-5

DeepCuts

“Songs” appear in quotation marks, Albums in italics without quotations, and Artists in bold.

DeepCuts can be found at http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-deep

#The International Scene

This is the pause before the deluge.

There is, of course, the continued development of hip hop in France, led by IAM, whose 1994 hit “Je danse le mia” was the best-charting of their career and Suprême NTM, whose 1995 album Paris sous les bombes set the stage for their later dominance. More interesting, though was the funk/hip hop collective, Alliance Ethnik, whose 1995 album Simple et Funky remains a classic, and is represented here by the track “Honesty & Jalousie (Fais Un Choix Dans La Vie).”

Danish rapper Lucas Secon released “Lucas with the Lid Off” in 1994, an incredibly catchy hit that owed more to production and DJ skills than his abilities as an MC–there was also nothing especially Danish about it, raising important questions about what belongs under the “international hip hop” umbrella.

#Alternative Hip Hop

Lawd, but I hate that term.

I would call out 4 groups that are often lumped under that term as being of note:

  • The Roots–long before their gig as a late night band–debuted in 1993 with Organix and followed that up with Do You Want More ?!!!??! in 1995, the latter spawning the influential and popular “Proceed.” They followed that up in 1996 with Illadelph Halflife and the classic track “What They Do.”
  • Spearhead‘s debut album, Home, was released in 1994, setting in motion 7 years of fantastically astute, funky hip hop from the Michael Franti-led collective. “Hole in the Bucket” was the biggest hit, but “Positive” is the song to remember as a ground-breaking statement about HIV/AIDS, getting tested, and it being better to know than to not know.
  • The Fugees Blunted on Reality arrived to very little fanfare in 1994, and while “Nappy Heads” cracked the charts, it was really all preparation for their sophomore effort, The Score, released in 1996. The Score was a dominant, revolutionary album, launching the career of Lauryn Hill and containing the megahit remake of “Killing Me Softly.” “Fu-Gee-La” and “Ready or Not,” though, fit more as hip hop tracks.
  • While their album would not drop until 1998, Jurassic 5‘s first single, “Unified Rebelution” was released in 1995. Check out the breakdown at around 2:00, and then the circular group verse towards the end, both of which would set the template for later Jurassic magnificence.

#Texas, Turntablism, and Miscellania

1994 saw the release of “Front, Back & Side to Side” by UGK, who would remain the dominant force in Texas hip hop for over a decade, until Pimp-C‘s death in 2009. Co-founder Bun B has taken on a respected elder role in contemporary hip hop and commentary, and the overall impact of these two figures as MCs, as businessmen, and as cultural forces, remains quite important.

DJ Shadow‘s Endtroducing … is a seminal work in instrumental hip hop–a genre that really continued the lineage of the original DJs, and would eventually be referred to (by some, at least) as turntablism. “Organ Donor” is included as a small sample. (See what I did there? Sample? Geddit?)

You’ll probably recognize the chorus from Ahmad‘s “Back In the Day” from 1994–while the artist was pretty much a one-hit wonder, that hook has survived in many forms since.

#Notable Cuts: 1994

“Funkdafied” by Da Brat; “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik” by Outkast; “Big Poppa” by The Notorious B.I.G.; “Ease My Mind” by Arrested Development; “Flava In Ya Ear” by Craig Mack (recently passed, RIP); “Fantastic Voyage” by Coolio; “Sabotage” by Beastie Boys; “Da Mystery of Chessboxin'” by Wu-Tang Crew; “Bring Da Pain” by Method Man.

#Notable Cuts: 1995

“Shimmy Shimmy Ya” by Ol’ Dirty Bastard; “Survival of the Fittest” by Mobb Deep; “California Love” by 2Pac, Roger Troutman & Dr. Dre; “I Got 5 On It” by Luniz.

#Notable Cuts: 1996

“Stakes is High” by De La Soul; “Laflaur Leflah Eshkoshka” by The Fab 5 (don’t worry, nobody else knows what it means, either); “Doing It” by LL Cool J.

Continue to Part VI.

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Reading Well: The Last Days of New Paris by China Miéville

Posted on April 16, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

One of my favorite authors, China Miéville, published two novellas in the past year or so. I wrote about This Census Taker here; The Last Days of New Paris (2016) is the second.

When writing about This Census Taker, I expressed some excitement and optimism about Miéville’s return to the creative tautness that marked much of his earlier writing. The Last Days of New Paris might be the best thing he’s written in the last decade. Supremely creative, tightly plotted, it tells the story of (deep breath here) an alternate timeline where, in 1940, a magical bomb was set off in Paris, bringing to life thousands of manifestations of objects from surrealist poetry and painting. These creatures, while not fully aligned with the Parisian resistance, interrupted the Nazi takeover of the city, allowing pockets of resistance to form more fully, with street battles being fought street by street, arrondissement by arrondissement.

The story is set a decade after the explosion, and the protagonist is a member of the Main à plume (an actively anti-fascist surrealist group), who, along with a mysterious spy, is trying to forward the cause of the resistance. Interspersed throughout are chapters focusing on the arrival of American rocket scientists and occultist Jack Parsons (he’s a real character, who really was both those things and more) in Paris: it is Parsons who assembles and detonates the S-bomb.

The more affection for and insight into surrealism you have, the more you would, I suspect, enjoy all of the descriptions and references. Even lacking that (as I do), it’s pretty fantastic. And, at novella length, an easily consumable read.

I hope these two shorter works mark a return for Miéville, and I eagerly await his next full-length novel.

#WhatIWishICouldDo

I’ve said it before: Miéville just trusts his readers; trusts them to figure things out, trusts them to fill in the blanks created by fantastical descriptions. It certainly runs the risk of reducing the population of readers, but it creates such concise and lovely moments.

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Hip Hop History: Part III

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Hip Hop History Part 3: 1989 to 1991

Part 1 can be found here.
Part 2 can be found here.

We’re really just going along with the steady growth of the musical form here. But things are beginning to split into a few recognizable branches.

  • There is mainstream rap, now epitomized by an MC with or without an accompanying DJ. The content is generally self-referential, but the lyrical complexity is steadily increasing.
  • “Gangster rap” steps into the spotlight, led by N.W.A. (and a host of imitators), but 2LiveCrew is probably a better exemplar, lacking all of the political nuance of N.W.A. and doubling down on the misogyny and violence. Note the term “Gangster rap” is problematic on its own, but it is in such widespread use that we’ll retain it, albeit in quotations.
  • Alternative or underground rap develops fully, led by The Native Tongues (a collection of performers initially brought together by Afrika Bambaataa, and including the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, Monie Love, A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, and Queen Latifah). Be careful with this one–the tendency is to just call everything that is neither of the prior two categories, alternative. It’s lazy. Useful. But, lazy.

Me, Myself & I by De La Soul (1989). This album broke the mold for hip hop at the time: it was intelligent, intricate in its self-referentiality, playful in its structure and sampling, and stronger in its lyrical content than it was given credit for at the time, 3 Feet High and Rising confirmed there were many ways to approach this rap game.

Fight the Power by Public Enemy (1989). This is, personally, among my least favorite PE songs: it lacks the shocking urgency of their earlier work, and isn’t as coherent as a song. However, it was so impactful that it would be shocking to exclude it, or even to relegate it to DeepCuts. The theme song from Spike Lee‘s Do The Right Thing, the song opened up a debate about the role of systems of authority within minority communities that certainly continues to resonate. It was also highly controversial, much discussed and much scrutinized (for its comments on Elvis and John Wayne as much as those on the police).

Wild Thing by Tone Lōc (1989). Tone Lōc is worth noting as a counter-argument (along with Digital Underground) against the notion of West Coast hip hop as a monolithic, singular thing. Both Wild Thing and Funky Cold Medina were massive commercial hits, and his voice and delivery remain uniquely compelling. There’s not much beyond the party, but there is that.

Ladies First by Queen Latifah & Monie Love (1989). We’ll hear more from both of these artists later, but this song from Queen Latifah’s debut album, All Hail the Queen, was important both for its feminist party anthem quality and for introducing the world to the rapid-fire delivery of the UK born Monie Love.

Sound of Science by Beastie Boys (1989). Most would insist that Paul’s Boutique, Beastie Boys’s masterpiece of a second album, should be represented by a more popular song, like Hey Ladies. And they would not be wrong. But Sound of Science represents what really earned this album respect: it wasn’t the yelling of anthems, it was the sophistication of sampling and the general DJ work. The term turntablism was not in currency at this point (and wouldn’t be for another five years or so), but this is one of the albums that led to the music that led to that phenomenon.

If De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers opened the door for the Native Tongues, A Tribe Called Quest‘s People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990) blew it off its hinges. From the effortless interplay between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg to Shaheed Ali Muhammed‘s propulsive, jazzy beats, this album remains a masterpiece. Picking a single track is challenging, but at the end of the day, while Bonita Applebaum charted slightly higher, we’ll go with Can I Kick It?

The Humpty Dance by Digital Underground (1990). It’s a novelty song, essentially, structured around one of Shock-G‘s many alter egos, Humpty Hump (most of DU is actually a single MC). In some ways, that’s a shame, as Digital Underground had a short run as one of the funkiest, most creative, most intriguing hip hop acts around. They were also the first group to feature a fellow young rapper from Oakland named Tupac Shakur, who you may have heard of.

Mama Said Knock You Out by LL Cool J (1990). You always miss something on this kind of project, and it was a pretty significant oversight to leave LL Cool J out of Part 2 entirely. Mea maxima culpa. He had been around the scene from the very early days–even as a “tween,”–and really created the model for a commercially successful solo rapper, both in style and substance. I Need Love was a crossover hit in 1987 (the fact it was later successfully covered by Irish rock crooner Luka Bloom is not exactly a credit from a hip hop perspective), and really belongs with the other tunes of that year. Mama Said Knock You Out was a massively successful song, and his biggest hit in the early days of hip hop.

Tom’s Diner by Suzanne Vega & DNA (1990). There is so much cool historical detail here … deep breath … Suzanne Vega’s original version of Tom’s Diner, released in 1989, was the song used to test the compression capability of .mp3 files when the format was first invented: the notion was that, if a voice as rich and warm as Vega’s could be compressed without noticeably losing audio quality, anything could. As such, Vega was referred to briefly as the “mother of the .mp3,” which is just kind of cool. Good enough. But then came the British dance duo DNA, who took a beat from the hugely influential British dance collective Soul II Soul‘s Keep on Moving (Don’t Stop) and a creative remix of the song’s non-verbal chorus, and created something new and wonderful … that nobody outside of some German dance halls should have heard. But, when they caught wind of it, instead of the usual response of threatening legal action, Vega’s record label, A&M, instead bought the remix, released it, and spawned a global megahit. Do do do do da do do do …

The Choice is Yours by Black Sheep (1991). Black Sheep served as the uninhibited id of the Native Tongues. Lively, humorous, and unabashed, the ebullient nature of The Choice is Yours proved enduring, to the point where it is often hailed as a “best song of the year.” As far as party jams go, sure.

Mind Playing Tricks on Me by Geto Boys (1991). One of the proofs of the development of hip hop as an art form was the relative explosion of genres and micro-genres in the early 90s. Southern rap–led by Atlanta and Houston, with notable contributions from Memphis and New Orleans–emerged and fractured into things like “Dirty South” and, later, the largely Houston driven movement towards “Chopped & Screwed.” All of that can be traced back to the outrageous, surreal, hard driving and often problematic songs of Houston’s Geto Boys. This was by far their biggest hit.

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss by P.M. Dawn (1991). And now for something completely different … whatever P.M. Dawn were, they were clearly rooted in hip hop, and pointed the way towards an alternate future.

Bouge de La by MC Solaar (1991). Quite arbitrarily, this cut marks the true birth of international hip hop (but see the info on London Posse below), with one of the earliest and most successful French MCs producing a song that was both popular and signaled the possibility of the emergence of non-American hip hop traditions that were more than purely derivative. MC Solaar–born in Senegal–would be a significant figure in France for several decades. (Note that the only version on Spotify is a meh live version. The much better, very smooth, studio version is on the album Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo if you want to track it down.)

Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (1991). We end with 1991’s feel good hit by Will Smith (still better known for his TV show at this point). 1991 marked an explosion in the diversity of hip hop; it also marked a point where a strain of pure commercialism emerges, which is both a credit to the music and a complication of the analysis of it as an art form. We’ll discuss that more in part 4.

The Spotify playlist is here: http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-3

DeepCuts

The entire DeepCuts playlist can be found here: http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-deep. This playlist will be added to as each installment is published, and may even include cuts from future installments (consider them free previews of goodness yet to come).

“Songs” appear in quotation marks, Albums in italics without quotations, and Artists in bold.

She isn’t well remembered now, but if you ask who the first dominant female MC was, the answer is probably the British import (and Native Tongues member) Monie Love, whose 1990 album Down to Earth spawned 2 hits (It’s A Shame and Monie in the Middle) and several other notable cuts (Just Don’t Give A Damn and Pups Licking Bone are included here for their innovative bass lines and rhythmic variety).

Boogie Down Productions rolled along with 1990’s Edutainment. “Love’s Gonna Get ‘Cha (Material Love)” was probably the most notable cut, but it also included perhaps the most cogent snippets of the overlap between hip hop and Afrocentrism: see “Exhibit E” for an example.

Tupac Shakur (known at this point as 2Pac) will be represented on the primary lists as befits such a dominant figure in the history of hip hop, but his first single was 1991’s Brenda’s Got A Baby, which signaled his ability to address social issues in his artistry.

It wasn’t just P.M. Dawn taking alternative hip hop in new directions in 1991. Check out both Canadian group Dream Warriors‘ “Wash Your Face In My Sink” and “Do Not Feed the Alligators” and Del The Funky Homosapien‘s (trivia: Del is Ice Cube‘s cousin)  “Mistadobalina” or “Sunny Meadowz” for more.

There had been some hip hop songs in the UK before this, but London Posse‘s 1990 album Gangster Chronicles really marks the beginning of the vibrant hip hop scene in Britain. London Posse was a supergroup of sorts, a gathering of the best of London’s emerging MCs; more importantly, they were (mostly) rapping about life in England and specifically in London and (mostly) doing so in their natural accents. Also of note are Prophets of the City, the first hip hop group to emerge in South Africa.

#Notable Cuts: 1989

“Say No Go” and “Buddy” by De La Soul; “Cha Cha Cha” by MC Lyte; “Funky Cold Medina” and “Cheeba Cheeba” by Tone Lōc; “It’s Funky Enough” by The D.O.C. (The D.O.C. probably deserves more of a mention: a hugely influential force in early “Gangster rap,” he wrote much of the N.W.A. catalog and had many hits of his own before nearly dying in a car crash in which he suffered significant damage to his larynx, essentially derailing his career for many years); “Just A Friend” by Biz Markie.

#Notable Cuts: 1990

People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm by A Tribe Called Quest (look, just go listen to the whole thing OK? If you insist on cuts, let’s go with “Bonita Applebaum,” “Ham ‘n’ Eggs,” “Push It Along,” and “I Left My Wallet in El Segundo”); “Expression” by Salt-N-Pepa; “Live Like The Other Half Do” by London Posse; “Doowatchyoulike,” “Hip Hop Doll,” and “Underwater Rimes (Remix)” by Digital Underground; “Flavor of the Month” by Black Sheep; “Welcome to the Terrordome” and “911 Is A Joke” by Public Enemy; “Dallah Flet” by Prophets of the City.

#Notable Cuts: 1991

“O.P.P” by Naughty By Nature; “Let’s Talk About Sex” by Salt-N-Pepa; “No Nose Job” by Digital Underground; “Can’t Truss It” by Public Enemy; “Juice (Know the Ledge)” by Eric B. & Rakim; “Excursions” by A Tribe Called Quest.

{Continue on to Part 4}

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Reading Well: American War by Omar El Akkad

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Omar El Akkad‘s debut novel, American War (2017), is an arresting, gripping contribution to the landscape of post-apocalyptic fiction. Here, the disaster is largely environmental: all of Florida and most of the Eastern seaboard is underwater, the US economy is shattered, and world power has shifted to China and to a new Middle Eastern empire that stretches (much like it once did) across North Africa and throughout Arabia. America is at war with itself, with a new Civil War pitting the North against what is left of the South.

So far, so standard, at least for the genre.

The most intriguing thing about American War, however, is the protagonist, who is a Southerner (actually from the Louisiana borderlands–Texas is no more, having been re-absorbed into Mexico). She is, however, not a “true believer” of any stripe; instead, she is merely caught up in the cycle of war, and manipulated into her role as a human weapon by forces far beyond her control or comprehension.

This allows El Akkad to explore many perspectives on the war, and allows him to strengthen the character, as their motivations depend on relationships and commitments, not on blind ideology. It’s very effective, and while some of the “historical” documents inserted into the narrative are a little thin, the overall impact is a well-written, page-turner, with clear relevance to contemporary international politics (think Palestine, think disaffected youth through the world, think urban centers of unemployment in Asia, South America, and Africa).

#WhatIWishICouldDo

There is something courageous about these choices as they relate to the protagonist. It is facile to read El Akkad’s journalistic experience in the Middle East as their source; those may have been a factor, but I prefer to credit him with a very creative, very smart way to make a protagonist both more human and thoroughly dedicated to a violent cause.

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Hip Hop History: Part II

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Hip Hop History Part 2: 1983 to 1988

Part 1 can be found here.

Sucker M.C.’s (Krush-Groove 1) by Run-DMC (1983). It is hard to overestimate the impact of this trio from Queens on the genre. We’ll talk about how they formed, and we’ll hear more from them later as they played a key part (for better or worse) in hip hop’s crossover success. This song is often seen as the start of “New School” (or the end of the “Old School”). Such delineations are always a bit sloppy and disputable.

White Lines (Don’t Do It) by Grandmaster Melle Mel (1983). Much like the historical relationship between drugs and hip hop, it’s complicated. The bass line is a note-for-note copy (rip-off? Outright theft?) of Cavern by Liquid Liquid, and, to enhance commercial appeal, the song was marketed as being by “Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel,” even though Flash had left Sugar Hill records about a year prior. Written by Melle Mel and Sylvia Robinson, White Lines was originally designed as a celebration of cocaine-fueled partying, later (and only somewhat convincingly) transformed by the insertion of “Don’t do it.”

Rockit by Herbie Hancock (1983). Another song that marks the transition out of the “Old School” moment: Hancock’s embrace of hip hop from his position as a dominant force in jazz further legitimized the music as an art form, and specifically as part of the larger tradition of African-American art forms. A visionary video and a memorable performance on Saturday Night Live helped as well.

La Di Da Di by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh. La Di Da Di was released with The Show on its flipside, and choosing between these monstrously influential cuts was quite difficult. Despite its problematic lyrics, especially at the end, La Di Da Di won out due to it being the first record with an MC (Slick Rick) backed entirely by a beatboxer for the full duration of the song. A British artist born in Barbados, Doug E. Fresh is generally accepted as the original beatboxer–he was not, in fact, the first, but he was the most influential of the first generation.

Walk This Way by Run-DMC & Aerosmith (1986). The quintessential crossover hit, the song that shattered the perception that hip hop was limited in its commercial potential, and the song responsible for the revival of the fortunes of a once-influential 1970s rock n’ roll group (although this last was decidedly not the narrative at the time). This song is also important as a mark of Rick Rubin‘s influence: neither Run nor DMC wanted to do the song (Jam Master Jay was, at best, neutral), and it was only through Rubin’s persuasion that it got made at all.

South Bronx by Boogie Down Productions (1987). If Walk This Way symbolizes the commercialization of hip hop (and all that leads to), BDP’s 1987 debut album, Criminal Minded introduced the world to the bombastic, political force of KRS-ONE. We’ll talk about Kris Parker, for sure. This track is the second salvo in the beef between BDP and The Juice Crew, led by MC Shan and Marley Marl, known as “The Bridge Wars.”

If there is a record that deserves to be an exception to the “one cut per album” rule, it is Public Enemy‘s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1987). This is one of those moments that is almost impossible to recreate: the force of Chuck D‘s vocals, the strident, siren-driven beats, the over-the-top posturing of Flava Flav, all wrapped in an uncompromising political stance. These two songs, Rebel Without A Pause and Bring the Noise were simply inescapable. This is, most likely, the single most influential album in hip hop history, when looked at in terms of the impact on the music and the culture and their future development.

No Sleep Till Brooklyn by Beastie Boys (1987). The members of the Beastie Boys had been hanging around the hip hop scene since the very beginning, and while their first album, Licensed to Ill, could be seen more of a novelty act by a trio of white punks; their later albums sealed their place in the history of the music. But it began here, with a disposable party anthem that set the stage for their sound.

Push It by Salt-N-Pepa (1987). There had been other female MCs or groups, but Push It marked the beginning of the lineage of dominant female artists, from Salt-N-Pepa through Queen Latifah and MC Lyte (more from them later) and on. Importantly, Salt, Pepa, and DJ Spinderella were so good as to dispel any notion that they were gimmicks.

Paid In Full by Eric B. & Rakim (1987). Eric B. & Rakim were, in all likelihood, the most influential DJ/MC combination in old school hip hop. Technically, nobody matched their combination of creative and funky beats with Rakim’s near-perfect flow. Paid in Full was a success on its own; then it’s remix by UK dance act Coldcut expanded its impact to a worldwide audience.

My Philosophy by Boogie Down Productions (1988). Everything about By All Means Necessary, from the Malcolm X inspired album cover to the subject matter of the songs declared the presence of a major force in the world of hip hop. If South Bronx was an anthem, My Philosophy is a manifesto.

Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. (1988). We end this segment with the iconic explosion of West Coast, “Gangsta Rap” with the debut of N.W.A. While they were not the first of the genre, and over half the group came from Alonzo Williams‘ World Class Wreckin’ Crew, they weren’t far off, and their raw skills combined with their notoriety ushered in a new era for hip hop.

The Spotify playlist is here: http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-2

Next time, we’ll navigate through what we’re going to focus on once hip hop takes off and becomes an unquestionable commercial force.

DeepCuts

The entire DeepCuts playlist can be found here: http://bit.ly/hiphophspva-deep . This playlist will be added to as each installment is published.

Things get deep, fast, from here on out. As such, some more information on some songs that are historically important, but don’t quite fit in our time limits. Listening to them is strongly encouraged!

Buffalo Gals by Malcolm McLaren (1983). British art impressarios (today, we would call them “influencers”) McLaren and Trevor Horn were, on a trip to New York City, invited by Afrika Bambaataa to a Zulu Nation block party; while there, McLaren especially was taken with the technique of scratching and, over the protests of his record label, released Buffalo Gals. Hip hop took quite some time to really grow roots in the UK, but some early attempts were there: see Give It A Rest by She Rockers (1988) for an example.

Roxanne, Roxanne by UTFO (1984). Untouchable Force Organization was a solid contributor to the early Brooklyn hip hop scene, but this song is included mostly for the small industry it generated: within a year of its release, somewhere between fifty and one hundred “response cuts” were released, the most famous being Roxanne’s Revenge by the then-14 year old Roxanne Shanté. This is generally seen as the original rap “beef,” predating even “The Bridge Wars.”

“Songs” appear in quotation marks, Albums in italics without quotations, and Artists in bold.

#Beats and Samples

“Tour de France” by Kraftwerk (Germany, 1983); “Beat Box” by The Art of Noise (UK, 1983); “Cavern” by Liquid Liquid (1983).

#Notable Cuts

“New York New York” by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five; “Rock Box (7″ version)” (1984) and “Peter Piper” (1986) by Run-DMC; “Beat Street Breakdown” by Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five (1984); “Jam On It” (1984) by Newcleus; “Jail House Rap” and “Human Beat Box (1984) by Fat Boys; “The Show” by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh (1985); “Slow and Low” by Beastie Boys (1986); “Yo! Bum Rush the Show,” “Rightstarter (Message to a Black Man),” and “Raise the Roof” by Public Enemy (1987); “Microphone Fiend” and “Follow the Leader” by Eric B. & Rakim (1988); “Children’s Story” by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh (1988); “Self Destruction” by Stop the Violence Movement (1988); “Part Time Suckers” by Boogie Down Productions (1988). 

#Notable Cuts: West Coast Edition

“Body Rock” (1983) by Ice-T; “Surgery” and “Slice” by World Class Wreckin’ Crew (1985); “6 ‘n the Morning” by Ice-T (1986); Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. (1987). 

#The Bridge Wars

“The Bridge” by MC Shan (1985); “Kill That Noise” by The Juice Crew (1987); “The Bridge is Over” by Boogie Down Productions (1987).

#Film

Breakin’ (1964) and Beat Street (1984) were hugely influential in the spread of hip hop, both domestically and internationally. Wild Style (1983) and Krush Groove (1985), much less so. All will make you laugh at parts, and give some insight into the historical moment.

{Continue on to Part 3}

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Reading Well: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Daniel (@MKNN)

George Saunders‘ much anticipated novel Lincoln in the Bardo (2017) does not disappoint, although it may bewilder.

The Lincoln of the title is not Abe, but rather Willie, his son who died at the nadir of his presidency (the Civil War is well underway, but it is not going well, and the steady river of corpses is taking a toll on the populace). Abe does have a role in the book, but the protagonists are actually a trio of ghosts.

Ghosts is an unfair term: the graveyard where Willie is buried is populated by a bevy of spirits who have not yet moved on to their final destination (the title refers to the Tibetan tradition of exactly such a space; the novel weaves bits of Tibetan mythology together with themes from The Egyptian Book of the Dead as well as more traditional Christian elements). They spirits refuse to accept their situation, insisting instead they are merely waiting to be healed.

Whether they will discover the truth of their situation forms most of what plot there is, enhanced by the experiences of the ghosts with Lincoln, whose visits to his son’s grave afford them moments of insight into the present world.

Lincoln in the Bardo is much closer to a play than a traditional novel, with chapters of dialog interspersed with chapters of very short excerpts from both actual and invented historical sources, often used to present a variety of perspectives on what would usually be thought of as simple truths. As a minor example, across a dozen or so quotes, the color of Lincoln’s (Abe’s, not Willie’s) eyes are described successively as grey, grey-blue, blue-grey, and blue.

It is a small thing, but it underscores the insistence of the novel on the possibility of mystery, and of the truth of the moment proving elusive and unknown. If the book is about anything, I would contend it is about that.

#WhatIWishICouldDo

There is a core humanity to the novel that is moving, and lovely. Allowing that to shine through is a great demonstration of craft and skill, doing so while mixing historical records, fiction, and a pivotal moment in the history of the USA is even more impressive.

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