=+=+= HIP HOP =+=+=

EMCEEING / RAP
DJING (deejaying / turntablism)
B-BOYING ('breaking', uprocking, downrocking and boogeying)
GRAFF (graffitti art)

for starters: www.zulunation.com

Whether ol' head classicist or newbie rap fan, put it out there.

What you like or don't like, events, music, films, videos, websites, publications, performances, gears, artifacts, etc.

If you're curious have questions or think you know everything about Hip Hop, let's discuss it. This is open but let's be easy on the " f**k pop / ol' school / new school " 'cause there mad other spots to spit vitriol. Hold me accountable too.

It's yours!...

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Permalink Reply by X-D-D-M*9 on May 7, 2012 at 4:22pm

Word up. I loved MCA's voice and when "Beastie Groove" came out in Philly, we all thought MCA and the rest of the crew were Puerto Ricans 'cause their ill voices may not not have been Black but they had flavor.

This honestly breaks my heart a bit. I followed them mostly up to "Intergalatic" but other releases showed they had skills to pay the bills and spread out. Saw them only once on the Ill tour and they rocked it.

To Fruct, I heard rock stations playing straight Hip Hop tracks from the Beasties like "Intergalactic" & "So whatya Want" and would never play rock songs from Fishbone, Bad Brains or Living Colour. Figure it out...

No hate for them though. They were doing straight Cold Crush & Schoolly D routines in concert and used to prop up their influences often. Like most acts they could have given up more.

Still digesting this all...Reside In Power MCA and chill-will-still when I start to illl, and fill my pocket with another dollar billl...

kifaru said:

No truer statement ever made but....

I am an old school Beastie fan. The first song I heard from them was Beastie Groove. I didn't know they were white. I didn't care. Jay "Burzootie" Burnett got name checked on the track. I didn't know who he was but his name just seemed "hip hop". Each Beastie showcased his own style on the track with the crew doing a modified two man crew call and response similar to Run D.M.C. and Double Troubles style. Mike D can be heard doing an early version of speed rap. MCA's flow was immaculate, showing the transition from the old Melle Mel/Sugar Hill Gang rhyme style adopted by rap imitators to the newer style with a cadence that was not strictly tied to being accent on the 2 and the 4. AdRock who I thought had the illest name at the time showed the first glimmers of the hyperbolic and exaggerated phrasing that would become his trade mark. The track features a break (not a sample) from Trouble Funks "let's get small" that was being used on a few tracks at the time and was popular with New York DJ's. While it wasn't original, when combined with the drum track it was magic. For a b-boy this was a perfect track to break to and for those in the know it remains a hip hop classic.

MCA!!! Rock ON!!!

Compound Egret said:

Why are the Beasties in the RR Hall of fame but Rush and Deep Purple are not????

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Permalink Reply by Compound Egret on May 10, 2012 at 12:32am

Old Graf and new Graf...Reminisce from the Bay area, 90s. Marvin Gaye mural on an ice machine on Century Blvd. LA, last week. Tattoo Lady from the desert, now.

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Permalink Reply by X-D-D-M*9 on May 11, 2012 at 4:43pm

^^^ man that artwork is impressive, especially the Marvin & tatt lady murals.

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Permalink Reply by kifaru on May 14, 2012 at 11:02am

That's another thing about the Beasties i respect. they were not culture bandits like Paul Simon. They always name checked their influences. Even obscure cats. They were never afraid to give props unlike some of our bretheren with more melanin.
X-D-D-M*9 said:

Still digesting this all...Reside In Power MCA and chill-will-still when I start to illl, and fill my pocket with another dollar billl...

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Permalink Reply by X-D-D-M*9 on May 14, 2012 at 3:54pm

I agree though some would debate you on that. They were pretty earnest about giving shouts without overdoing it and not housing stuff wholesale a greater majority of the time. And they opened up & survived several eras of white emcees who came after them.