For 16 years Del has been the funkiest homo sapien around, and here's guessing he'd outclass every other species, genus, and phylum too. That Elektra cut one of the true masters of flow--a contrast with so many deadweight rhymers--before his third LP dropped is sad and befuddling. Thankfully, Hiero hasn't let "Future Development" die, releasing this masterly blend of glowing beats and mature prophecy.
The merits of the editing system "Pro Tools" are often questioned in the biz. You'll find significantly less debate over the Wu-Tang man's new set of the same name. "Tools" runs on the far-out lyrics and sci-fi grooves we've come to love. And, in a bit of irony, it's quite well edited.
Rep is on it when he describes his "Unclosed Mind" disc as music first and hip-hop second. The tight rhymes and chopped rhythms are critical, but this is really melodic storytelling. The dreamy final effect can recall the Roots at their most abstract.
Two of hip-hop's most inventive smiths, Madlib and MF DOOM, have teamed up under the appropriately psychotic moniker of Madvillain, and the collab is every bit as delirious and eclectic as fans of those two might expect. Cutting up gnarly, electrostatic drum-and-synths, 'lib proves the ideal beatmaker for the masked DOOMster's fantastical rhymes.
The vaunted rhymer plays controlled variable on this Scion S/V production, his track "Charlie Brown" getting scrambled every which way by some sprightly young boardsmiths. The cuts here are abstracted and clever, and this is an excellent lens into the beatmaking process.
"Sweet Lord" is the latest uncategorizable duet from the L.A. emcee and the N.C. producer. Underground in spirit but polished, wordy as a notebook but jammed with explosive beats, cut with samples but full of original storytelling, it holds their unique spot in the scene.
Cut in DIY fashion, dedicated to "the crate-diggers, the plate-spinners," Invincible's "ShapeShifters" LP has its hip-hop priorities right. Her chilly, portentous grooves and sobering rhymes show how the Detroit underground is soldiering on after J Dilla.
On sheer quantity Pittsburgh's Gregg Gillis outsamples them all--his track "Too Deep" culls the Beatles, the Smashing Pumpkins, Phantom Planet's "O.C." theme, and a stack of vinyl in between. The restless remixing can be a bit scattered, but it's a grandly entertaining mess.
As half of Cannibal Ox, Vordul Mega has earned a reputation for spreading mentally complex lyrics over dark underground beats. The street-savvy saga continues on the New York MC's solo endeavor. A skilled mic technician, he carves swarthy vocal imprints into billowing beats, which come courtesy of such up-and-coming hip-hop producers as Belief, Blockhead, Ruddy Rock, and the Prof.
The oil crisis has been an easy target for the media, so now it's our turn to get in on the hype. No matter what your political views are (left, right, or center), the rising price of oil is a concern for everyone. Even the most patriotic gas-guzzlers out there are beginning to question their driving habits. Now, if you ask the R&B star Rihanna, she'll tell you to "shut up and drive," but we think (and hope) that she's making a sexual reference.
While we wait for gas prices to drop, let'… Read more
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