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)
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
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