Christmas Cheer
Posted Mar 13 2006
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With the holiday season upon us, here’s some help in navigating the musical maze of what’s poppin’ in the world of hip hop. All of these tracks are available on 12” vinyl and CD formats.
We Thuggin’-Fat Joe featuring R. Kelly (Atlantic Records)
Continuing the tradition of tag-teaming hip hop with R&B and African-Americans with Latinos (think Big Pun and Joe, Ja Rule and J. Lo), Fat Joe gives us a certified hit geared towards partying and getting the dance floor packed. Back in the early ‘90s, who would’ve ever thought that the artists formerly known as “Joey Crack” would be teaming up with R&B crooner Kelly? Musically, the track is catchy but nondescript. The chorus “Off up in the club/ wildin’ like what/ got Cris on pop/ Henny with no chaser…I got four honies in the in the drop/and my man Joe’s got the keys to the spot/and it’s full of honies/panties with no tops” captures a fun-filled night with the boys, bragging about the usual…how much money they have, how many women they have, blah, blah, blah. It has an infectious groove, but does that necessarily make it a good track? There’s no need to single Joe out, but it’s unfortunate that so many fellas’ “manhood” is reflected in the size of our cars, how expensive our liquor is, or how many women we claim to have sex with. So many artists, from P. Diddy to Snoop Doggy Dogg, to even Fat Joe, speak out against violence, unsafe sex, and so forth, yet promote violence, materialism, and promiscuity in their music. Am I missing something? I’m not advocating the censorship of music and the artists shouldn’t be used as scape-goats for larger societal issues, but isn’t it a little disconcerting that nearly everything considered “pop” music has a direct connection with glamorizing violence, materialism, and the objectification of women?
L.A./Doctors, Drums, & Danger-2Mex (Meanstreet)
Switching things up, 2 Mex shout outs to Los Angeles’ underground hip hop scene, including Freestyle Fellowship, Awol One, and KDAY in the adequately titled, “L.A.” The beat is straight and includes a piano sample that will remind you of BDP’s “The Bridge is Over.” “L.A.” is a good reference point for these seeking to learn more about Los Angeles’ contribution to hip hop culture, both past and present. “Doctors, Drums, & Danger” features guest appearances by Sick Jacken from Psycho Realm and Xololanxinxo. Beat-wise, we get a murky, western-influenced sound reminiscent of Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs. Lyrically, the three MCs trade lyrics about their reasons for rhyming and surviving in a hostile world without glorifying the criminal element. Using metaphors and referencing everything from mysticism to incarceration, you’ll have to listen to this one a few times to capture the essence. Check www.meanstreet.com for more info.
Cisco Kid-Method Man & Redman featuring Cypress Hill and War (Def Jam)
With this combination, you can guess what this song is about. Getting high! Considering that it’s from the “How High” movie soundtrack, was there any doubt? All of the MCs have visited this topic several times over so don’t expect anything new, but it’s hard to go wrong with War providing the sonic backdrop. Everyone holds their own, but Meth and Red stand out as Meth borrows lyrics from a popular calypso song and Red turns in his usual, braggadocios, “I just don’t give a f…,” performance. Whether you’re for or against the “sticky-icky,” this song will have all of its listeners looking for the next zig zag.
Watch Out-De La Soul featuring Jose “Periguo” Hernandez (Tommy Boy)
“Baby Phat” may be getting more play, but the sizzling Latin jazz sample here makes this another stand out pick from the New York Trio. While MCs are the most popular practitioners of hip hop, the Latino influence behind the boards, as either producers or as a source of inspiration, has undeniably grown as well. Just think of the Latin-influenced tracks by Eve or Juvenile and up and coming producers like Domingo, who’s produced for cats like Eminem and Master Ace. “Watch Out” is another example of the Latino impact all aspects of hip hop.
Vocal Artillery-Ozomatli featuring Medusa, wil.i.am, and Kanetic Source (Interscope)
The multi-ethnic, multi-genre band out of L.A. is back with a catchy hip hop tune featuring some of hip hop’s lyrical stalwarts including femme fatal Medusa proclaiming “didn’t you know that the word tight was invented because of me?” Meshing together horns, scratching, keyboards and a head-nodding bassline, “Artillery” has been getting much well-deserved play. Lyrically, the track wasn’t as hot as the title might suggest, but due to their creativity, Ozomatli is always worth checking for.
Lowrider-Cypress Hill (Columbia)
There’s no need to explain the topic of this track as the title is self-explanatory. There aren’t any surprise either as Sen Dog and B-Real spit the same Spanglish rhymes that made them famous. The hook gets a bit corny as B-Real implores you to “pop ya’ colla’ and give a holla,” but overall, Cypress Hill fans won’t be disappointed. It’s tight, but sounds a bit dated as Muggs lays a “g-funk” synthesizer over some Latin percussion. Mind you, that’s more of an observation rather than a criticism. As “Lowrider” fades out over a soothing guitar, car enthusiasts and g’s alike have a new anthem.
Other Latino Hip Hop artists to with recent and new releases.
Chino XL-Spitting ill metaphors and offensive lyrics long before anyone had heard of Eminem, this underground giant returns after a long hiatus.
Click The Supah Latin-Underground hip hop heavyweight kicks witty rhymes and the forgotten art of beatboxing.
N.O.R.E.-One half of the group C.N.N. continues his thug antics with his latest solo release.
South Park Mexican-This underground star from Texas is just itching to blow up.
Tony Touch-DJ Royalty continues to drop the hottest mixtapes and is busy with his sophomore debut album, tentatively titled “The Piecemaker II.”
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