Monday 27 May 2013

GROUP FOR A WEEK: EPMD

There is no better "fresh discovery" to begin your week with than the tasteless irony of a group that have been around longer than most of our neo-philistine hip hop fan's lives.

The monotone sounds of classic hip hop became the voluptuous ingredient by which the original duo known as EPMD based their whole career around. It was a time when the instrumental side of rap had no airs or graces about it, allowing for the individual talent of a group's members to take full effect.

 EPMD joined an entourage of emerging hip hop artists such as Redman (whom they frequently collaborated with) in the late 80's early 90's that began the transition from safe hip hop to underground, explicit rap that would flourish and grow throughout the latter years of the decade.


 Founding members Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith made their presence known immediately with the release of their bold debut album entitled Strictly Business. The track of the same name off the album became their first big hit, drawing on a never before heard poetic harmony, with similes and metaphors amalgamated within lyrics.

They became one of the first groups to openly discuss gang life and it's close association with narcotics, something which for maestros such as Run Dmc was very much the ghost at the feast. The group came back again in 1991 with Unfinished Business. Chic white sneakers, gold chains and fashionable sports cars were displayed on an album cover no less lubricious than any Snoop Dogg track.
Nevertheless the album dispelled any ideas of the group suffering the turmoil of "second album syndrome". If anything the album went over much better than their debut drop, with notable tracks including Get The Bozack, Please Listen to my Demo and So What Ya Sayin'. Evidence of the albums success and more notably the group's rapid rise to fame was clear as a priest's conscience when their third and most accessible album became laced with collaborations.

In the golden year of '99, artists including Method Man, Redman and Busta Rhymes rushed to become apart of the veracious rap album Out of Business . All that made EPMD famous historically was laid bare from the Intro track to the close of Jane 6. The album also brought the best out of it's collaborating artists, in particular Symphony 2000 feat Redman, who replaced his usual colloquial attempts at cheap thrills for the more intellectual approach we all know him to be capable of. In a year synonymous with the fastidious production of a certain Operation: Doomsday album, Out of Business kept true to form with simplistic beats that allow the listener to explore the rugged lyrics with the attention they deserve.

It was very much the "sit up and listen" attitude that held EPMD in such high regard. They brought a unique realism that rap was lacking at the time or had not seen since the early days of Public Enemy or GrandMaster Flash. In many ways it was that very realism that justifies their position amongst such high echelons of hip hop.

Tuesday 21 May 2013

The Best Flex You Never Had

Far from the hegemonic culture of a nation lies a diverse blend of artists that many will never hear unless it is in this case brought to their attention.
What has always made rap unique is it's ability to resonate with anyone regardless of the language. So let autonomy guide us, taking these pristine examples as the necessary building blocks with which to broaden our horizons.



PEZET- (POLAND)



From the heart of a country no less than a decade into it's liberation from Communism came a hip hop artist deeply embroiled with a message of just how tough life in Eastern Europe can be.
That said, Pezet quickly became the success story of the late 90's. In a country renowned for employing it's passion ( one need only look towards historical figures such as Pilsudski or the powerful patriotism of the nation's anthem Mazurek Dąbrowskiego)  came a breeding ground for a new, slightly unorthodox style of hip hop.

Pezet was never the pin up, poster boy rapper. Skinny, white and sporting some draconian styled bifocals, he never had much to work with from the beginning. This only served to benefit him; a lack of image placed all the emphasis on talent (or moreover whether or not he possessed any). The jury was certainly out from the get go, particularly when you bear in mind that the country itself did not have much of a rap scene to speak of at the time.

Three albums in a '98 collaboration with fellow MC Onar and two in 2002 with producer Noon were all it took to successfully quell the reproaches of the most conservative of critics. 
In 2004, his album Muzyka Poważna, produced by Noon, finally warranted  him great aplomb  as a solo artist. It was this album that featured one of Pezet's best known songs, Nie Jestem Dawno. It details a life of destitution and parallels it (with articulate detail) to a feeling of death, which the title suggests,  or more importantly the comfort death may possess over the rapper's life. It was this heart-felt honesty that would define Pezet.

Though in recent years his work has moved more towards the material aspects of rap, the evidence of which can be found in tracks such as Supergirl, his importance for both a country and genre must not be underestimated. In a way his music helped to loosen the shackles of a country synonymous with oppression. Rap during the golden years of Pezet's career in Poland grew to insatiable heights. 

It permitted the success of Polish rappers such as Lukasyno, although him and others like him will always play second fiddle to the originality Pezet brought to his music, evidence of which can be seen in how most of the beats in Polish hip hop tracks today seem to sound the same ( and absurdly Arabian, if you disagree simply click here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz5pW9dMGB8 ). Pezet was fortunate enough to have worked with some great producers, who served as the extra ingredient to an already talented rapper.

Check out Nie Jestem Dawno here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYpxnEIu1aY


DOWN LOW- (GERMANY)

The group, who came to fruition in the mid 90's, based themselves in Kaiserslautern and are credited as being the first rap group to bring a European style to the rap scene. 
Listening to their tracks will bring to mind a young Coolio as the beats blend a mixture of a customary snare kick with the disco dance music that became popular during the decade in Europe.
Founding members Darren Tucker and Joe Thompson began work on a number of singles during the years '95 and '96.
While their first drop Don't Look Any further received about as much attention as a Catholic priest's sermon, the second entitled Vision of Life grabbed the masses in a vice grip that has failed to loosen as time passes us by. Shortly after in 1997, the group produced their first and most significant album Visions.

What made the album so appealing was the broad range of issues it attempted to tackle, such as the track Murder which parodied the calamity that was the O.J Simpson murder trial to a comic on-stage soliloquy.
Group member Tucker's place is occupied these days by Mike Dalien as they continue to work with emerging artists such as C- Blok and Nana from K-Studio in Kaiserslautern.

Endemic of the group is the benevolence in their work. In '98 they began the Rapper Against Racism campaign, which aimed to tackle the still prevalent issue of racism in Germany. 
The group have taken many breaks from the rap scene over their illustrious carrer yet always seem to return to do what they know best. 

The release of a 2006 album Return of the Trendsetter  pricked the ears of nostalgic fans. Rather than getting with the times, as many infamous 90's rappers tend to do, the group stuck to what made them big in the first place. Each track was laced with the aforementioned "Europeanisation" attributed to the group and much credit must be given for their utter refusal to change who they are.
The influence they had on rap worldwide continues to go unnoticed, although that only serves as a perfect depiction of the modesty encompassed in European hip hop. 

To experience the talent of Get Low check out the track Murder right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BjKepsu-rQ


IMMORTAL CRITIQUE ALSO RECOMMENDS:






















Wednesday 15 May 2013

TETE A TETE: Jeru Tha Damaja vs MF Doom


Both men became the quint essential purchase in any record store during the rapid growth of hip hop in the 90's. Amongst the staunch levels of cadence flaunting MC's who popped out of every crack in the urban areas of California and New York, Jeru Tha Damaja and MF Doom made their mark by distancing themselves from all the ubiquity.

Suffice to say that aside from the glowing sensualism each one of their tracks will evoke in you, both men possessed different attributes, which will now do battle as we try to decipher which one of these hip hop Goliaths has the greater credentials.

JERU THA DAMAJA


He once made the grandeous claim that he was "the saviour of hip hop". Two decades have past since that proclamation and it would be hard to form a rebuttal against it. 
Jeru first came into the spotlight during a snippet of the track I'm the man off the album Daily Operation by  fellow striving artists Gang Starr in 1992. His moment of fame came when he was signed to Payday Records and released both his debut album The Sun Rises in the East and Wrath of the Math with them in '94 and '96 respectively.
He enjoyed early success on both ( even when he was reprimanded for stereotyping women in the song Da Bitchez off his debut drop) however people really began to pay attention upon the release of the '99 album Heroz4Hire. It was here that Jeru would gain the prevalence that will keep him infinitely at the top echelons of hip hop.
The experimental production on the album created a melancholic feeling in every track. The real success story of the album was the song that would eventually define Jeru amongst the broader catchment area of phlegmatic rap fans. 99.9 percent and the success it enjoyed could hardly have been expected considering it was placed as the last track on the album. Nevertheless it encompassed all that has made Jeru the iconic figure he is, a lyricists with the ability to hold the most fastidious of critics.
His success has continued (somewhat) in recent years with the album Still Rising, an album title that says all you need to know about the man. There have never been any attempts at pretentious songwriting or a false sense of intellect with Jeru. He was (and still is) simply a man who began to talk about what his day to day life entailed and enjoyed the success that this combined with a melodic voice brings.
He was perhaps a victim of his own circumstances; he came on the scene at a time when Brooklyn and the East coast was engrossed in nothing but B.I.G. Nonetheless respect must always be payed to Jeru who will be highly regarded for his illustrious career, both on solo projects and with other big names in the business at the time.

MF DOOM

MetalFaceDoom.jpg
Born Daniel Dumile yet forever known as the masked hero of hip hop; MF Doom. His career will probably be better known for collaboration work on such album's as the transcendent Madvillainy (2004) with meticulous MC Madlib. The album contained the track All Caps, instantly recognisable for it's nostalgic beat that will take you back to the sun-filled days of your youth. Other tracks off the album, including Accordian and Raid became instant hits for the Madvillain collaboration and has them held in high esteem as potentially the best collaboration in hip hop.
That is not to say that MF Doom has not enjoyed a fruitful solo career. His two CD album Doomsday shall always be the first thing that roles off a persons tongue when you mention him, regardless of the success Madvillain enjoyed.
Operation: Doomsday unleashed the man under the mask, or more importantly the mind under the mask. Whereas Madvillainy gave a 50/50 split of talents on display to both producer and rapper, the simple beats off OD allows the voice of a lyrically maverick to take it's full effect. The album established him as one of the fastest bar-spitters at the time.
The themes tackled range from misery in the ghetto to a struggle with adolescent alienation similar to writer James Joyce's Potrait of an Artist as a Young Man. Probably one of the lesser known tracks off the album is The Finest. Anyone who wants to experience the full portrayal of MF's talent culminated in a single track should proceed immediately here. His ideals are timeless, every generation of rap fan (be they old or young) seem to discover MF.
The nostalgic rap fan will appreciate the harmony of early 90's rap beats featured on the album, including the  blissful sound of record scratching on the decks. 
Another interesting fact about MF that may tickle the fancy of general knowledge enthusiasts is that he was born in England and moved to America during the early years of his childhood. It didn't take long for him to fit amongst the culture rising around him.

THE VERDICT

I would say that if you took the early careers of both men, a clear advantage would have to be given to Jeru for how much quicker he came onto the scene with his solo albums (bear in mind both men are the same age). Before MF had released Operation: Doomsday in '99, Jeru had already made an impression with three albums including his '99 Heroz4Hire.
However the belated success of Doom was something that began a catatonic revolution in rap and was the primary reason why he enjoyed so much success on collaborations. He became a commodity everyone wanted to identify with.
MF Doom also seems to enjoy greater success in the present, whereas Jeru has somewhat been entered into the history books (that is not to take away from the prowess of his career). 
MF Doom's Madvillainy also gives him a 2-1 advantage over Jeru when it comes to iconic albums of hip hop.

IMMORTAL CRITIQUES RESULT: MF DOOM WINS

Friday 10 May 2013

THANK F**K IT'S FRIDAY: 3RD EDITION

COSTELLO & G.I- MARYJANE


An album to give the U.S a run for their money
WorkinClass Records are back once again with two of it's biggest commodities G.I and Costello and their latest album Maryjane.

There is nothing left to imagination as one delves into this labyrinth of Dublin's urban Intelligista

Production quality, possibly the only thing Workinclass did fall short on in the past, has come along sevenfold in this album. The instrumentals off some tracks (most notably Smack Haze and Ghostwritin) alone make for blissful listening and could easily be sampled for future drops by emerging Irish artist. 

With four solo projects between them, the restless work of both men on this collaboration has shown no cracks under pressure. They omit an encyclopedia of knowledge regarding Dublin's deprived communities, with the poetic harmony to escalate the resonance. Its not often that music makes you sit up and truly pay attention, however listening to the track Chill D Fuck Out will leave you speechless and wondering whether you know what "having problems" really means. It only serves as another example of  WorkinClass member's emphatic ability to turn negative lifestyles into positive end products. 


Literature does not over cook the praise that must be given to this album. Both Costello and G.I's lyrics have the distortion of an Easton Ellis and the heart felt passion of a Dostoevsky or Mickiewicz. It also evokes the sense of a collection of short stories, similar to Joyce's Dubliners, as each track tackles a different issue brought about through life experiences. Point of View (which also features Willa Lee) must be commended not only for the broad use of relevant vocabulary but also the duo's astute knowledge of intricate rhyme patterns.

They have brought back to mind the golden years of the mid 90's rap in Harlem with this album. Praise 2 Da Jungle has the same noir beat and fluent bars than anything off Big L's Lifestylez of Da Poor And Dangerous. It all culminates in a powerful portrayal of a sinister culture the rest of us would rather forget. Credit must be given once again for the extra emphasis that the album has placed on production. 

Lunatic- 1984-2009
Further tribute is payed to the deceased WorkinClass member Lunatic on the third track Put Your L's Up, which is laced with passion for a beloved friend of the duo who will never be forgotten in their eyes. Furthermore a lot of the messages Lunatic carried in his own work has rubbed off on both Costello and G.I who continue the ideals of Irish heritage and it's importance. 

So for anyone brazen enough to still regard the prodigies of Irish rap as reprobates with too much time on their hands, now is the time to sit in silent shame over MaryJane's pre-determined success. If this high level can be maintained going into the future, it is no over-reaction to expect our Emerald Isle to finally have credible representatives to contend on the continental market of rap.

IMMORTAL CRITIQUES TOP 3 TRACKS


  1. Smack Haze
  2. Born 2 Represent
  3. Praise 2 Da Jungle

Check out the full album @ http://workinclassrecords.com/



Tuesday 7 May 2013

Give Men The Mic

It is akin to the ever growing male presence on the fashion scene but in recent years nothing has served as a greater emasculating entity than the rapid escalation of a repugnant female rap base.

I will be the first to vouch for the now classicism that artists such as Lil Kim, Missy Elliot and the talents they brought to hip hop, however these days a lavish serving of genital exposure with a side order of simplistic songwriting that will take you back to your 4th class poetry club have marred these ladies' work.

When talent turns to taciturn tracks filled with erotic symbolism that would put redtube to shame, it is time to hand these ladies their jacket from off the rack and send them in search of employment worthy of their meagre capacity.

A fact that goes without saying is that most, having read this, will already have conjured an encyclopedia of such artists but two stick out like a fly in the soup of this cesspool of talentless damsels. See if our trail of thought crosses paths:

IGGY AZALEA

There are three things I have learned from Iggy Azalea which I shall forever be indebted to her for:

1- Iggy Pop and Azalea flowers, two colossal forces in their own particular field, NEVER the twain should meet!

2- Her second album Million Dollar Misfits discusses the hardships of success. As worldwide issues go, it's almost up there with all the people who died during the 90's in Yugoslavia. We feel for you Iggy.

3- Attempts at bourgeoise dressing (such as the elegant black ensemble she sported at this years Brit Awards) don't cover up the tramp within. 

Please give up the day job Iggy. Tesco are opening a new hypermarket in the greater Dublin area, if you hop on the next Ryanair flight I may just put in a good word for you. 

M.I.A

She will always be a poor man's Beyonce and she has the credentials to prove it. It would be much appreciated if people didn't retort with a measly argument for her with the only hit she ever had, Paperplanes, as the cons far outweigh the pros.

 It really comes home regarding M.I.A when in 2008 she promoted the release of her album Kala during a concert tour entitled The People vs Money Tour. Don't ever try to relate to the little guy again M.I.A. Your botched attempts at a normal life are made all the more laughable by the net 3.5 million you have made off the idiocy of your songwriting.

It is true that in many cases, a female rapper has come from the same traumatic upbringing as most of the iconic male rappers we revel at today. The difference lies in the emphasis both place on what will eventually determine their career. 

So the next time you hear Tupac's awe-inspiring lyrics from If I die Tonight, played against Fergie's "My humps, my lovely lady lumps", please think twice about defining this article as chauvinistic dribble.