People Under the Stairs rockin some new beats, soon to be followed by another album - "Carried Away!"
I’ve been a huge People Under the Stairs fan fo’eva! Their new album “Fun DMC” rocks. It’s not just an homage to the old school styles of the East Coast (see “GrandMaster Flash, DJ Kool Herc, et al.) It holds a spectrum of brand new ideas that PUTS have been growing since their “O.S.T” release. The rhymes are upbeat to say the least, with a laid back take on their fame and fortune. They have seemed to relax more since the Om records days, when they seemed devoted more to the battle rap.
But where this album shines, in my opinion, is the huge amount of samples that Thes One and Double K have used as a basis for their swinging rhymes. These guys have never stopped diggin.’ And still they use samples that make music freaks go “HMMM!!” In the quest for NOS beats, these guys really take the cake.
African Scream Contest - Screams galore, and some very funky jams.
Most compilations seem to have one or two gems and a bunch of crap. But there are a few out there – in these days of crate diggin fiends – that really rock the roost. “African Scream Contest” is one of those that make you say “Why have I not heard this?”
This album was released by the Analog Africa label. This label looks like it has more than its fair share of real sweet recordings from the the afro-delic and afrofunk varieties.
BAD to those that are in the know!
Imagine: it is 1984. Think George Orwell, think the beginning of over-ground Hippity Hop, and the end of the first Reagan administration.
Well, even juicier yet is the end of one of the best relationships in music: Mick Jones gets fired from the Clash by the one and only Joe Strummer. Holy Crap!! But what most people don’t know is that Mick takes a lot of the talent of the Clash and creates something better – Big Audio Dynamite.
Big Audio is primarily a Mick Jones gig, with the cooperation of Don Letts (of the Westway to the World fame.) But even Joe Strummer contributes some really great content to the BAD.
FAVORITES:
NO. 10, Upping Street
This is Big Audio Dynamite
Cymande - Early 70's funk
Cymande’s notable contributions to the world of music have been sampled by De La Soul, Masta Ace, and The Fugees among others. Cymande’s music fills a niche of funk with the likes of War and Mandrill. But Cymande is probably the lesser known of this type of funk. It combines world-wide elements of reggae and jazz, which becomes a very chill kind of funk music. Really great for just sitting back and listening on the hifi or some good headphones.
For more on Cymande:
Wikipedia – Cymande
Flea Market Funk – The Message
