Video: Tinchy Stryder f. Ruff Sqwad, “Tryna Be Me”
We might regret saying this later, but Tinchy Strider is one of a few people who can namedrop Ed Hardy in a rap and we will not immediately dis-invite him from our iPods. Instead he and the Sqwad are rocking his signature “STAR IN THE HOOD” t-shirts, while proving his fanbase extends well beyond the hood with this live-footage video shot from his Catch-22 tour. With the usual trampoliney beats and stabby flow (related:skanks not shanks), it’s like duh, yeah, the crew is BIG. (via RWD)
Video: Kano, “Rock ‘N’ Roller”
- story Matthew Schnipper
In April 2005’s FADER issue 29, with Bloc Party on the front cover, we put Kano on the back, largely on the strength of his massive “Ps and Qs” and “Reload It.” “Ps and Qs,” specifically made an impact over here on this side of the pond, and in his story, Edwin “Stats” Houghton says, “‘Ps and Qs’ especially is a new kind of grime that really sounds like the homegrown ‘answer to hip-hop’ UK heads have been claiming of every new sub-genre from jungle to D&B to garage. It has less of the offbeat ’skitter’ of Eski tracks and you could hear the ominous synths backing Eminem or Ludacris or the Game without even squinting your ears too much.” That encroachment on US rap from his end to ours, though, four-and-a-half years into the future, flipped on its end, and Kano is now working with some Venga Boys meets T-Pain Auto-Tune circus rap. You can hear Mariah Carey on the theoretical remix to this without squinting your ears too much.
Basement Jaxx f. Kelis, Meleka & Chipmunk, “Scars” MP3
It’s sort of like Basement Jaxx plugged prog, dubstep and Stankonia-era jeep beats in a blender for this one, but then Basement Jaxx have been their own feisty little Osterizers for a fiery minute now. More interesting is their constant impeccable/weird choice of vocalists you wouldn’t ever think of as pairing well, but who transcend clashing and end up complimenting each other in their own wild way, kind of like wearing something red with purple. In this case, iconoclastic alto Kelis links with higher-pitched UK R&B sensation Meleka, whose UK Funky track with Crazy Cousinz is impossible to stop listening to (and recently got a video). They mix like rum raisin. Add grime teen Chipmunk’s raps slithering easily through operatic sample and boingy sub-bass and it becomes an archetypal Basement Jaxx tumbler of textures and vivid quirks.
Download: Basement Jaxx f. Kelis, Meleka & Chipmunk, “Scars” (via Hattie Collins)
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posted on Sep 9, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags Basement Jaxx, Chipmunk, Crazy Cousins, electronic/dance, grime, Kelis, Meleka
Tinchy Stryder Star In The Hood Mixtape
- story Matthew Schnipper
Tinchy Stryder, perhaps best known for his “Oh shit Gang Gang” adlib on Gang Gang Dance’s “Princes”, has an album of his own coming out next month in the UK and Star in the Hood is a brief preview. Stryder has a thing for crunchy pop keys and video game vibrancy, the same penchant for easy roll 50 Cent had on Get Rich or Die Trying. His current single, “Never Leave You” (with an unembeddable video) is a little perplexing with its R&B chorus addendum, but still, its candy.
Download: Tinchy Strider Star In The Hood mixtape
Last Japan f. Kay Young, “DJ Saved My Life” MP3
Kay Young is apparently an egalitarian type of UK MC, since she dedicates Last Japan’s throbbing laser-gun of a 21st Century club track to both “the ravers” and “the poseurs.” But how does one pose at raving? Seems like one of those “she’s a little pregnant” scenarios, but then what do we know, since we have never posed at raving in our lives, ever—it’s always full-bore raving, 24-7, dancefloor or no, forevermore, no fronting. Which is why we can appreciate the immediacy of the fact that the DJ saved Kay’s life “tonight,” right? Also, she skateboards and just released a mixtape.
Download: Last Japan f. Kay Young “DJ Saved My Life” (via Culture of Me)
Bass Odyssey, Part 47
- story THE FADER
Yep, like a cat that’s been locked out in the rain overnight for weeing on the new carpet, here I come, crawling back with my tail between my legs after another unnecessarily long hiatus.
I’ve come back just to tell you that Skepta and Wiley are currently “at war”/”beefing”/”desperately trying to muster up some hype around the time of their respective album releases”. (Side note: Skepta and Wiley were supposed to both release albums on the same day in a 50 Cent-Kanye-style face-off, and had posters all around London of them squaring up with boxing gloves on. But Wiley, being inextricably suffused in calamity, put his album back a week at the last minute, rendering the whole carefully organised campaign an utter waste of everyone’s time.)
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posted on Jun 18, 2009 in MUSIC NEWS tags grime, Joker, Prancehall's Bass Odyssey, purple, Skepta, Wiley
Video: Tempa T, “Next Hype”
- story THE FADER
FADER favorite grime documentarians Tim & Barry TV has been stepping it up lately, first with their bootleg video for Gang Gang and Tinchy Stryder’s “Princes” and now with this high-larious clip for Tempa’s “Next Hype,” which just became the official soundtrack to us JACKING OUR OFFICEMATE’S POST-ITS, BLAM BLAM. By the way, stiff-arm slapping is the new stomp out. Get ready.
Video: Boy Better Know, “Too Many Man”
- story THE FADER
We thought we’d leave you with this brand new visual gem from grime all-stars Wiley, Skepta, JME, Frisco and Shorty. Okay those last two aren’t really all-stars but they do have stuff to say about sausage parties. Maybe we don’t know as much about women as we thought, but wearing clown make-up and wrestling with our bros has never made phone numbers magically appear in our pockets.
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 44
- story THE FADER
Down in flippant London nobody cares about bassline anymore, and neither, to be completely honest, do I really. But now and then I like to casually glance up to northern England to see what’s going on. And right now the main song worth your attention is “Etap Riddim” by Trilla. Before I say anything about it, I suggest feminists look away now. You see, Etap is a European chain of really, really cheap hotels (£17.50 a night) and “Etap Riddim” is an explicit ode to bringing a girl back to one of the rooms and, as all you Americans say constantly, “pounding the poontang”. If Andrea Dworkin heard it she would turn in her grave. If she were actually dead. Oh hang on, she is dead. Then she’ll be doing backflips right now. I like the line where Trilla compares the beautiful act of lovemaking to stabbing someone: “In and out like a knife”. What a delightful mental image. The video above, by the way, is a tribute made by three fans who seem very keen on getting “stabbed” by Mr Trilla.
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 42
- story THE FADER
Above is the video for Newham Generals’ latest single, “Head Get Mangled”, which uses the Holy Trinity of UK urban music video themes: bravado, torture and soft porn.
I’m yet to see a positive review of the single so I’m saying I like it just to spite everyone. Actually, I do quite like it – it’s impossible for a song featuring D Double E to sound bad. It’s just a shame they decided to add a horrible filter to the vocals, making what D Double says pretty much incomprehensible.
Newham Generals showed up at the NME Awards with their label boss Dizzee Rascal last week. Below, you can find the full transcribe of Newham Generals-themed text messages sent to me by Friendly Fires‘ drummer, Jack, who was sat on the same table as Dizzee, D Double E and Footsie all night.
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posted on Mar 2, 2009 in PRANCEHALL’S BASS ODYSSEY tags Dizzee Rascal, Friendly Fires, grime, Newham Generals, Prancehall's Bass Odyssey
