Each time I mention that OutKast are one of my favourite groups, usually it’s met with a response somewhere along the lines of “OutKast? Those one hit-wonders who did ‘Hey Ya’?”. Granted, ‘Hey Ya’ is an incredible slice of pop which reached dizzying heights of success, but there is far much more to the group than that. This article explores the importance and influence of OutKast, an analysis of each of their albums, their enduring influence and long-lasting appeal, and why they are not only one of the best hip hop groups of all-time, but one of the most important acts in music.
OutKast were formed in East Point, Georgia in 1991. The duo consisted of André ‘André 3000’ Benjamin and Antwon ‘Big Boi’ Patton. They met in high school, and soon started participating in rap battles and making music together. Soon enough, they had teamed up with the production squad Organized Noise and became the first hip hop act to be signed to Sony Records subsidiary LaFace records. With the strength and success of their debut single ‘Players Ball’ in 1993, and the release of Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik a year later, OutKast quickly became a driving force in hip hop, swiftly building a cult following with several high profile releases. Alongside acts such as The Geto Boys, 2 Live Crew, Goodie Mob and UGK, OutKast helped to bring Southern hip hop to mainstream prominence and demonstrated that it could be as critically and commercially successful as West and East coast rap.
OutKast broke free of the constraints of hip hop, and the perceptions of what the genre could and should aspire to. Just as important as alternative rap innovators such as A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Beastie Boys and De La Soul, OutKast managed to create a unique and original style which sent shockwaves through America and beyond. Though André and Big Boi are polar opposites in terms of style, technique, musical influences, and personality, they manage to jump-off and perfectly complement each other as performers, rappers, musicians and producers. Big Boi’s rapping style is heavier and more aggressive in tone and timbre, and is often more frenetic than the smoother and more relaxed tenor of André. Lyrically, André is more abstract and figurative than Patton who habitually ‘tells it like it is’ in typical Southern fashion. Big Boi’s into his hard-hitting funk, soul and early hip hop, whilst André idolises Prince and adores psychedelic music. This bizarre combination allowed for a unique artistic vision to flourish, and OutKast created a new and cutting edge sound which relied primarily on live instrumentation instead of direct sampling. Smooth funk basslines underpin Southern soul vocal hooks and brass instrumentation, and embellishments of electronic soundscapes and spacey psychedelia characterise OutKast’s productions.
Under the influence from a range of popular culture topics, OutKast created heavily conceptual pieces of work in both their music and performance, often adopting different fashions and personas upon each touring cycle and stream of music videos. Whether it be posturing as pimps and extra-terrestrials in their early work, or discussing socio-political ideals and creating soundtracks and starring in accompanying films, the music is just one element of the complex and inimitable OutKast. Excluding the soundtrack piece Idlewild here’s a rundown of each of their studio albums:
Southernplayalisticcadillacmuzik (1994)
Featuring a G-funk influenced sound, funk and soul elements, and live and organic production techniques of Organized Noize, Southernplayalisticcadillacmuzik gave the world their first taste of Outkast; a sound which was defined by heavy yet irresistible bass licks, tongue-twisting wordplay and smooth, melodic sung hooks. The social commentary regarding pimp and drug culture is rife; the group even hustled to generate funds to record, a surprising thought considering the pair were both in high school. Their debut proclamation became one of the first Southern hip hop albums to gain commercial success, and began to generate acclaim despite 1994 being a very strong year in rap with high profile releases from Nas, Beastie Boys, Common, and Gravediggaz. The lead single ‘Player’s Ball’ sold half a million copies, and the group were invited by The Notorious B.I.G. to support him on tour. However, this triumph was just the beginning for Outkast…
ATLiens (1996)
ATLiens is my personal favourite OutKast album. As the title suggests, ATLiens sounds out of this world. Defined by alien soundscapes, riddled with incredibly technical rapping and multifaceted lingo, and complete with interstellar instrumentation and newfound experimentations in production and composition, this album is an ideal starting point into OutKast’s straight-up hip hop work. It’s a tranquil trip into sci-fi conceptualism, with the psychedelic production and instrumentation offering a completely absorbing and immersive listening experience. Motivated by the naysayers of their Southern sound, Big Boi and André utilised their own recording studio to grow as artists by brushing up on their production and instrument playing skills. Their efforts began to show immediately in their music; OutKast created a labour of love which served as both a musically consistent and conceptually cohesive record which is entirely deserving of its classic status.
Aquemini (1998)
The title Aquemini stems from a portmanteau of the members Zodiac star signs, indicating that despite the duo being vastly dissimilar in terms of their musicality, vocal diction and personality, that it’s the two parts of the individual that fashion the whole to create OutKast. Aquemini mixes the eclecticism and experimentation of ATLiens with the hardcore rap of Southernplayalisticcadillacmuzik to create a record which assembles all shades of black Southern American music to a march of forward thinking hip hop. OutKast successfully merged East Coast rap with Southern hip hop in the Raekwon guesting ‘Skew It On The Bar-B’, reintroduced the hood elements in ‘Return of the ‘G’’, borrowed the spacey psych of ATLiens in the records title track, and created their magnum opus in the Curtis Mayfield worship of ‘SpottieOttieDopaliscious’. With its sprawling, eclectic sound and colossal variety of themes, instrumentation and moods, it’s no wonder that Aquemini is considered OutKast’s greatest achievement.
Stankonia (2000)
At the turn of the 21st Century, OutKast had some things to say about the state of America and the rest of the world. A glance at the album art and track-list immediately infers their political intent; with songs such as ‘Gasoline Dreams’ and ‘B.O.B.’ (‘Bombs Over Baghdad’) alongside the cover which sees the duo posturing in front of a black and white American flag, Stankonia was their biggest statement yet. It seemed impossible that the duo could top the quality and scope of Aquemini, but Outkast upped the experimentation, employing a huge variety of genres, range of tones, topics and pacing. Stankonia is the duo’s ‘heaviest’ and widescreen sounding record, thanks to its incorporation of faster tempos, distorted guitar instrumentation, and influence from genres as far afield as drum & bass, psychedelic rock and P-funk.
Speakerboxxx / The Love Below (2003)
Speakerboxxx / The Love Below is the eleven-times platinum record shook the world. There was a time where you could switch over to any radio station and it was guaranteed that ‘Hey Ya’, ‘I Like The Way You Move’ or ‘Roses’ would be playing; it was absolutely massive and completely inescapable. Interestingly, this double album comprises of a side from each of the members. Characteristically, Big Boi’s Speakerboxxx disc is a funky take on Southern rap, whilst André’s The Love Below features folk, psychedelia, pop and R&B. It’s a sprawling and highly eclectic affair which showcases the influences and musical mind-set of each member over its two-hour runtime. Its ambitious scope and interpretation of various subgenres and flavours of mood is comparable to The Beatles’ White Album or Prince’s Sign O’ The Times. This is possibly the biggest album of our generation.
OutKast released their last effort before their hiatus in 2006, the ambitious Idlewild, a soundtrack to the film which the duo wrote and starred in. Though the critical and commercial response was muted, it still exhibited the group were out there pushing boundaries. To come hot off the heels of one of the most successful albums of all-time with a film and accompanying soundtrack is a bold statement to say the least.
During their fourteen year career, OutKast managed to push the boundaries of rap with each album release, sending shockwaves through the music scene with an influence which can still be heard today. Listen to Kendrick Lamar and tell me that André 3000 isn’t one of his biggest influences; good kid, m.A.A.d city is basically serves as the West Coast’s answer to Aquemini. There’s a huge amount of influence of OutKast in modern Southern rappers such as the likes of Isaiah Rashad, Big K.R.I.T. and CunninLynguists, who probably wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Dre and Antwon. Detroit’s madcap MC Danny Brown declares OutKast as a major influence, even lifting some lines from ‘B.O.B’ in ‘Today’ and stating “If you don’t know five OutKast songs, then we have a problem / If you don’t know where you come from, you can’t know where you’re going” in response to Lil Yachty’s inability to name five songs by Biggie or Tupac.
Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that trap rap is the most prevalent form of hip hop around today, and is one of the most popular and discussed genres in popular music. OutKast and their peers put the South on the map, and their gritty portrayals of urban life in Atlanta can be seen as precursors to trap music. Their debut discussed themes of living in some of the most crime-ridden and deprived areas of America, discussing topics including hustling, cooking crack and pimping in Atlanta. In ‘SpottieOttieDopalicous’, Big Boi discusses the hopelessness of youth unemployment and being confined in the trap lifestyle due to previous minor convictions; “The United Parcel Service and the people at the post office didn’t call you back because you had cloudy piss, So now you back at the trap just that, trapped”. OutKast and their peers who created the Southern/Atlanta sound opened the door for early trap artists such as T.I., Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy. Basically, the current hip hop climate may have never even come to light if it wasn’t for OutKast.
The question is, will OutKast ever end their hiatus? Will they tour or do a few festival dates? Will they record new music together? Can we expect a new album? The answer to all these is ‘probably not’. Big Boi’s got his solo career, and Dre tends to stay out of the spotlight, occasionally featuring in a film or lending a guest appearance to a track. Until then, let’s just revisit OutKast and their phenomenal body of work.
2016 has been an incredibly gloomy year for music. We unfortunately parted with Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Phife Dawg, Prince, Nick Menza and George Martin, all highly influential figures who will be dearly missed. Elsewhere this year, Frank Ocean released two albums after a sixty-four year wait, Kanye West made the best album of all time in addition to recently announcing Donald Trump will replace Jay-Z on the follow-up to Watch The Throne, Beyoncé and her seventy-two writers single-handedly ended patriarchal oppression with a beverage and somebody forgot to tell Bon Iver that Sufjan Stevens did the “sensitive indie songwriter goes electronic” thing six years ago. So, that’s the cynicism out of the way, here are my personal favourite albums from this year.
* Edit – Run The Jewels released Run The Jewels 3 a few days after I finalised this article. It’s barely had time to sink in but my first impression is that it’s unreal; it would have appeared high in this list. It will have to feature in next year’s list thanks to its awkward release date.
30. Kaytranada – 99.9%
Kicking off the list is Kaytranada’s debut album, which features some of the best beats of the entire year; tracks like ‘Bus Ride’ and ‘Weight Off’ are straight up irresistible. For those more in tune with the hardcore side of hip hop, 99.9% can often be a little too poppy, bordering on the saccharine side of 2016’s trendiest genre, R&B, exemplified in Craig David’s guest spot on ‘Got It Good’. Although it’s confused at times, there are some hard-hitting beats, funky moments and influences creeping in from all sorts of genres including wonky and house. Due to its upbeat nature and a healthy amount of guest spots, 99.9% is an incredibly varied and house party ready album.
29. Show Me The Body – Body War
Show Me The Body’s debut album is a blistering mix of post-hardcore, industrial hip hop and punk. Body War is discordant, groovy, aggressive and exciting. Fans of Death Grips may appreciate this album.
28. Dinosaur Jr. – Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not
Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not is essentially a return to the classic sound of Dinosaur Jr., especially the Bug and Green Mind eras. Their previous album I Bet On Sky saw an increased Neil Young influence creeping in and an expansion into more instrumentation however, Give A Glimpse byway of gritty, straightforward alt. rock; ‘Tiny’ in particular sounds like one of their iconic singles from the late eighties/early nineties. Whilst it may not be regarded as being as great one of their classic post re-union albums such as Farm and Beyond, it’s still solid. This year I was lucky enough to see them live after wanting to for years and they didn’t disappoint. I hope the group continue to make music together for as long as humanly possible.
27. Animal Collective – Painting With
Painting With, like Animal Collective’s previous album Centipede Hz is extremely busy in sound, accentuating their defining qualities to the maximum. This will be off-putting to AnCo sceptics yet loved by many a hardcore fan. For the majority of the record, the sound is colourful and vibrant. This works with occasional brilliance in the likes of the sunshine pop ditty ‘FloriDada’ and the kitsch ‘Golden Gals’ yet in other parts, it can be their downfall. Parts of Painting With sound like the audio equivalent of a pack of jelly beans melting in the blistering sun, creating a sickly sweet, unpleasant mess. Panda Bear and Avey Tare’s vocal mannerisms are in your face and heavily manipulated with echoes, overlaps and overdubs throughout and this gets tiresome, unlike the similarly playful Strawberry Jam and Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (my 2015 album of the year) where studio and vocal enhancing techniques were executed brilliantly.
26. GOAT – Requiem
GOAT reveal a sprawling set of psychedelic tracks with sounds that span the world over, from Swedish folk to Nigerian afrobeat, Requiem is GOAT’s best album since their debut. Reviewed in more detail here.
25. YG – Still Brazy
The majority of the time, “unoriginality” is frowned upon in music. Other times, however, firmly showcasing retro influences can work brilliantly thanks to the unique way the sounds return to the modern era. This is certainly the case for YG’s Still Brazy. The record is a shameless throwback to the synths, heavy beats and minimalist instrumentation of G-funk, the influence of Dr Dre., Snoop Dog and Warren G are all over Still Brazy. The retro beats and gangster lyricism results in an album that’s one of the most enjoyable of the year.
24. Black Mountain – IV
These guys have been on my radar for years now and after IV was slated as a return to form, I decided to finally delve into Black Mountain. I discovered ten tracks of individual character that fit seamlessly together as a whole record. The opener ‘Mothers of the Sun’ will immediately pull Black Sabbath lovers in with its fuzzy soundscapes whilst tracks like ‘(Over and Over) the Chain’ feature expansive spacey synths and there’s early krautrock on ‘You Can Dream’ and there’s a nod to The Brian Jonestown Massacre on ‘Crucify Me’.. This was one of those “wish I’d checked it this band sooner” moments; IV is a glorious fifty-six-minute trip into the fuzzier side of psychedelia, prog rock and every accompanying genre in-between. I’m by no means opposed to ‘retro-rock’ but Black Mountain manage to look to the past for influence yet execute it with modern prowess.
23. Mark Pritchard – Under the Sun
Global Communication member and dabbler of various electronic genres evokes ambient and IDM with some cleverly positioned guest spots (such as Thom Yorke, Linda Perhacs and Bibio) on a record that’s Mark Pritchard’s first under his own name. Read the review I wrote here for a more detailed report on Under the Sun.
22. Conan – Revengeance
Liverpudlian metal trio Conan continue to make some of the heaviest doom imaginable on their fourth record Revengeance. If you fancy a more in-depth account of the album, read the review on Broken Amp here.
21. Thee Oh Sees – A Weird Exits and An Odd Entrances
As Mutilator Defeated At Last was one of my favourites of last year thanks to Thee Oh Sees increasingly obvious explorations into psychedelia, I was intrigued to see what John Dwyer and co. would do next. Obviously, they were going to release something in 2016, but I wasn’t expecting two albums from them in such short succession. Both A Weird Exits and An Odd Entrances both delve into mind-expanding psychedelia, giving the impression they were set to be a double album set. A minor stylistic change from Mutilator, both albums take cues from krautrock and prog whilst featuring segments of energetic garage rock that defined their earlier work. Highlights from the two LPs include ‘Plastic Plant’, ‘Ticklish Warrior’ and The Beatles-esque ballad ‘The Poem’.
20. Nails – You Will Never Be One Of Us
After Abandon All Life became one of my favourite “heavy” albums of all time, I was intrigued to see what Nails would do next. Opening with the contender for the best introductory track this year and closing with a crushing epic, You Will Never Be One Of Us didn’t disappoint. Nails’ future is uncertain but I really hope they don’t call it quits just yet. In the meantime, read the full report of You Will Never Be One Of Ushere.
19. Skepta – Konnichiwa
Possibly the biggest statement in British music this year, Skepta’s Mercury Prize winning album Konnichiwa mirrored Dizzee Rascal’s Boy In Da Corner in success and hype, despite being released thirteen years apart. Whilst it may not top Dizzee for the title of the most acclaimed grime album ever, Konnichiwa is full to the brim of gritty instrumentals and tales of inner-city London in addition to allowing for across the pond crossovers thanks to guest appearances from A$AP Nast and Pharrell Williams. It’s hard hitting and gritty, featuring a wide array of beats and samples, including Queens of the Stone Age’s ‘Regular John’ on ‘Man.’
18. Dälek – Asphalt for Eden
After a prolonged hiatus, industrial hip hop pioneers Dälek return with a solid collection of tracks and a revitalised line-up. Armed with a new producer, their sixth studio album oozes with noise and bleak uneasiness. Here’s a detailed report on the band and the industrial hip hop spectacle as a whole.
17. BADBADNOTGOOD – IV
Last year, BADBADNOTGOOD put some of the best instrumental tracks to record with Sour Soul, a collaborative effort that didn’t equate to the greatness it deserved due to a lacklustre performance from Ghostface Killah. On IV, BBNG move away from the dark jazz-fusion of III and opt for an increasingly modern approach centred on soul, funk and lounge. Frequent collaborator Leland Whitty became a permanent member and an array of guest spots are scattered through the record, allowing for a pop/soul crossovers. Whilst IV may not have reached the dizzying heights of brilliance which III achieved, it’s their most varied work to date and will introduce many new listeners to the young band who always have an interesting take on whichever genre they’re playing.
16. Denzel Curry – Imperial
Probably the only trap rap album I’ve ever enjoyed, Denzel Curry’s Imperial is a ten-track collection of hard-hitting beats, technical rapping and sharp lyrical content. The instrumentals can either be or hard hitting or dreamy and Curry’s rapid flow perfectly complements the beats to create bangers such as ‘Story No Title’ and ‘Knotty Head’ and conscious tracks like ‘Pure Enough’ and ‘This Life’. ‘Gook’ is one of my favourite singles this year.
15. Ty Segall – Emotional Mugger
After the lush glam-psych of 2014s Manipulator, Ty Segall decided to change things up again and bring out a record which stands as the polar opposite to his previous release. Emotional Mugger often sounds irrational, spontaneous and wild. It’s carefree, dissonant, unpolished music with the fuzz turned all the way up. Ty just does what he wants, which will please his adoring fans who rarely have to wait more than a few months between recordings for a new album release. I was hoping for more of the same of Manipulator, but that’s both a pro and a con; artists who get stuck in the same sound quickly become stale so Ty’s experimentation is much appreciated. I saw this album being performed in full and it was an amazing experience, possibly my live highlight of 2016.
14. Xiu Xiu – Plays The Music Of Twin Peaks
Angelo Badalamenti’s compositions which blended dark jazz, dream pop and ambient perfectly heightened the strangeness of David Lynch’s ground-breaking series Twin Peaks. From the soothing theme song to the recurring ‘Audrey’s Dance’, the music has become inseparable from the iconic show. Experimental/post-punk group Xiu Xiu covered various songs from the soundtrack for an art exhibition regarding the work of Lynch and subsequently decided to record them for a Record Store Day release. The result is a fantastic and eccentric record which offers frequently intriguing and terrifying takes on Badalamenti’s work. The closer ‘Josie’s Past’, which features readings from Laura Palmer’s diary is a particularly unnerving highlight.
13. Oranssi Pazuzu – Värähtelijä
Oranssi Pazuzu are a Finnish black metal group who incorporate many genres into an atmospheric cocktail of sound which includes psychedelia, prog, noise rock and space rock. Bizarre yet surprisingly listenable, even non-black metal fans will appreciate Värähtelijä. Here’s an article I wrote exploring the phenomena of “psychedelic black metal”.
12. Joyce Manor – Cody
Joyce Manor throw their fans off-guard with every release. Their follow up to their highly acclaimed debut Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired was as experimental as pop punk gets; delving into R&B basslines, using spoken word snippets, covering 80s pop classics, referencing The Smiths several times and recording folk tracks on a tape recorder. Their third album, Never Hungover Again furthered their power pop influences and added clever instrumentation alongside sparkling production. Cody is their most poppy release yet and seems like a step down, understandably considering the quality of their past three albums. Despite this criticism, Cody features some of Joyce Manor’s best songs to date such as ‘Fake I.D.’, ‘Stairs’ and ‘The Last You Heard Of Me’. Here’s a more detailed account of Cody.
11. The Body – No One Deserves Happiness
The Body have once again proven they are one of the most ground-breaking groups in contemporary metal thanks to No One Deserves Happiness, “the grossest pop album ever made”. This was my favourite metal album of the year so it had to feature on my staff feature on Broken Amp.
10. The Hotelier – Goodness
A band photo instead of the edgy cover art
Goodness is a massive step-up in quality from the previous work ofThe Hotelier. They’ve stripped almost all of their pop punk sound off, resulting in a solidly enjoyable and consistent indie rock record which sometimes borders on the grandiose post-rock tendencies of The World Is… . There’s a sense of positive urgency in the vocal delivery, the guitars flirt with dynamics, and the track snippets are a cool little addition. Goodness is probably the biggest surprise of 2016 for me.
9. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity
It wouldn’t feel right if King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard didn’t release something crazy this year and they didn’t disappoint with Nonagon Infinity. The album is designed as an “infinite loop”, basically meaning that as soon as the album ends, it loops back to the start so the end note meets perfectly with the opening one; possibly the only time in the digital music age that the repeat function has come in handy. Whilst many artists go for conceptual albums in musical content or lyricism, King Gizzard choose to explore the album format. For instance, last year’s fantastic Quarters! devoted an equal quarter of the record for each track (10 minutes 10 seconds to be exact) and Quarters! and Nonagon Infinity are as intriguing as they are straight-up enjoyable. So enough about the formats, it’s the music that shines through. Taking a healthy dose of Thee Oh Sees-esque lo-fi psych-fuzz and blending it with touches of heaviness and prog musicianship, King Gizzard blast through track highlights such as the funky ‘Mr Beat’ and the wild ‘Gamma Knife’ with repeated motifs throughout to create a sense of cohesion that fits the overlaying theme. The band currently seem to be on a creative streak on par with their influences and with a monstrous five albums expected for next year, King Gizzard will keep fans on their toes throughout 2017.
8. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
We Got It From Here… is oddly A Tribe Called Quest’s comeback album and swan song. Surprisingly enough, it serves as both a return to form and a piece of hip hop history. Their first album in eighteen years offers a fresh take on their iconic blend of jazz and rap, soaking up a range of alternative hip hop influences who have come to prominence since Quest’s absence, exemplified in their sampling measures (such as using the same beat heard in Madvillainy’s ‘Meat Grinder’ on ‘The Killing Season’) and an impressive roster of guests spots from Kanye West and André 3000 to Kendrick Lamar. We Got It From Here… will be remembered as contextually significant as it was released shortly after the world found out that Donald Trump would be the next President of America. Tracks such as ‘The Space Program’ and ‘Conrad Tokyo’ explore the anxieties of minorities and the positive media portrayal of the reality TV star. It’s amazing to see one of the most important groups in musical history get the send-off they deserve, especially after the surprise death of Phife Dawg earlier this year. Despite a tumultuous relationship between the group, differences were settled and the creative chemistry inevitably flowed, resulting in one of A Tribe Called Quest’s strongest albums to date.
7. Leon Vynehall – Rojus (Designed To Dance)
The follow up to the impressive debut Music For The Uninvited, Brighton based DJ Leon Vynehall brings his unique blend of catchy house with shades of techno and a flair of the experimental on Rojus (Designed To Dance). The record would sit comfortably at a house party and club setting thanks to its deep bass and punchy rhythms whilst being perfectly suited for home or headphone listening thanks to its layered approach. With so many house artists concentrating on minimalism and atmosphere, it’s refreshing to see a style centred on enjoyability, one that’s catchy, accessible and danceable in equal measures.
6. The Avalanches – Wildflower
Plunderphonics group The Avalanches return after sixteen years with possibly the most anticipated album of 2016, it’s only their second since the revolutionary classic Since I Left You was released. In my opinion, this is just as good as their debut but despite both albums sample heavy nature, it’s near impossible to compare the two; Wildflower is much more psychedelic. The trippy feel is exemplified on ‘Colours’ which features Jonathan Donahue of neo-psych pioneers Mercury Rev, featuring backwards vocals and numerous psych-pop quirks. Wildflower showcases its fun and carefree side throughout; ‘Subways’ is a catchy little disco-funk track, ‘Frankie Sinatra’ is a delight with its carefree sound and excellent choice of guests (in the form of MF DOOM and Danny Brown) and ‘The Noisy Eater’ sounds like the best song Gorillaz they never released. It’s great to have The Avalanches back and it would be even greater to hear more of them in the future without waiting another sixteen years.
5. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
A Moon Shaped Pool came out of nowhere. There were no preceding interviews, advertisements, or sponsor encouragements regarding the release of Radiohead’s ninth album. Shortly after every trace of a social media presence was removed online, the first single ‘Burn the Witch’ was released and the compulsory hype ensued. The album was released five days later to mass critical acclaim. A huge improvement on the unremarkable The King Of Limbs, A Moon Shaped Pool is a collection of vulnerable, orchestrated art rock. The different approach from the Oxford five-piece is a welcome change, the group don’t revert back to the sounds of their previous work and offer something entirely different. As it’s subdued, it’s a grower and improves with every listen. The varied yet minimalist instrumentation, haunting vocals and sequencing are integral to the record. Radiohead will headline Glastonbury next year and it will be interesting to see these tracks being performed at a huge festival setting.
4. Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid
Aesop Rock’s seventh album is possibly his best work to date. The beats are indebted to John Carpenter soundtracks and El-P’s cold electronic production (the influence of Run The Jewels and The Cold Vein are all over this), often sounding like sci-fi rap blockbusters. Despite the fantastic instrumentals, it’s Aesop’s flow and lyricism that drives the music. Deemed to be the wordiest rapper of all time, his multi-syllabic flow is rapid, technical, and often shifts within the beat. Lyrically, Aesop Rock is highly metaphorical, a flair which has often confused casual fans yet delighted the hardcore backpacker types who delve into the interpretations of each and every line. The Impossible Kid features the loquacious, cryptic stanzas of classic works such as Labor Days but pleasingly, he frequently delves into straightforward storytelling approaches. ‘Dorks’ deals with how musicians portrayals are steered by the media rather than the artists themselves and ‘Blood Sandwiches’ chronologically reflects upon parental worries of impressionable youth. Seemingly a serious album, Aesop is often sarcastic and habitually amusing, even writing about his pet cat in the track ‘Kirby’ so it isn’t all doom and gloom. Thanks to the improvements in Aesop’s nimble lyricism, storytelling and beat preferences, The Impossible Kid is one of the most memorable hip hop albums of the year.
3. Deakin – Sleep Cycle
Those who were disappointed with Painting With will find more than enough to love with Animal Collective member Deakin’s first solo album, Sleep Cycle. Deakin is the only semi-permanent member of Animal Collective, often being considered the “least significant member” of the group due to being absent in the creation of AnCo classics such as Merriweather Post Pavilion, one of the most acclaimed records of all time. He rarely tours with the group and until now, he’s never released any solo material, adding insult to injury when compared to Panda Bear who’s gained numerous album of the year and decade awards. Originally conceived as a project in 2009, Deakin (real name Josh Dibb) set-up a Kickstarter to fund both the album and a trip to Mali to perform at a festival to raise money for a charity. He scrapped plans for the album yet decided to finance the trip himself, donating all of the money raised and self-funding the expedition to Africa. After hearing about the project being postponed after little in the way of updates, fans were mortified. Dibb’s reasons for the adjournment stemmed from severe self-doubt regarding the quality of his material and singing.
Deakin silenced his own misled doubts and his naysayers with Sleep Cycle, an album which beats anything Animal Collective, as a band, have produced in nearly eight years. It’s a short and subtle record packed full of kaleidoscopic sounds, engaging vocals, delicate electronics and spirited experimentation. ‘Golden Chords’ delves into slow-burning psych-folk, there’s the melodious ‘Just Am’ with its beautiful shimmering keyboards and repetitive rhythmical backbone and ‘Good House’ is a perfectly fitting and gorgeously trippy album closer. For someone so insecure about their prowess as a vocalist and musician, Sleep Cycle seems so assured thanks to the rewarding brilliance of its finest moments. A joyous mix of organic sounds and layered repetition, Sleep Cycle is the best psychedelic album of 2016. Let’s hope we hear more from him in the future.
2. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
Detroit based rapper Danny Brown returned after a three year wait after the disappointing EDM/trap influenced Old and thankfully, Atrocity Exhibition is not only a massive improvement but an innovative step forward in hip hop. Citing the Joy Division track and J.G. Ballard’s surrealist novel ‘Atrocity Exhibition’ as the titular foundation and influence for the album, Danny Brown reflects on his demons extensively throughout the fifteen tracks presented to the listener. Brown states that he is the atrocity exhibition, frankly unveiling his reckless lifestyle without restraint for the public to see through his music.
If Old was the party, Atrocity Exhibition is the comedown. The lyrical content focusses on Brown’s struggles with addiction, paranoia, sleep deprivation, mortality, depression, delinquency, and dissociation stemming from his extensive drug abuse whilst the production echoes the unease with dense, challenging and highly experimental beats. Atrocity Exhibition is by no means promoting drug use as it may superficially suggest upon the first listen; Danny reflects on extremely dark topics such as damnation through overdose in the sarcastic ‘Ain’t It Funny’, if one more line could kill him on the spot on ‘White Lines’ and the deterioration of his mental health in ‘The Downward Spiral’, cleverly referencing a line from his breakthrough album XXX in the process. ‘Really Doe’ is possibly the greatest song this year, featuring an insane hook from Kendrick Lamar and exceptional verses from Ab Soul and Earl Sweatshirt whilst the post-punk influence is illustrated in ‘Pneumonia’ which showcases an ingenious pseudo-drop and an exceptional industrial-style beat. Brown signed to Warp Records for this album and it allowed him full artistic freedom over the direction over the record, with Warp stimuli even creeping in on the IDM influenced ‘When It Rain’.
The outcome of Danny Brown’s influences which stretch from traditional hip hop to industrial, post-punk and experimental rock result in a bizarre, varied, psychedelic, dense and abstract piece of work that will be remembered as a crucial milestone in hip hop. Continuing on from Vince Staples’ Summertime ’06, Brown similarly utilises the Joy Division/post-punk influence as the centre-theme for an album and the result is comparably thought provoking and gloomy. Atrocity Exhibition should be concentrated on from a perspective of despair and the vicious cycle of drug use rather than Brown’s past work which encouraged the party lifestyle. Atrocity Exhibition is possibly the biggest artistic statement of the year and just missed out on the top spot of this list by a fraction. I’ll be listening to this for years to come.
1. Death Grips – Bottomless Pit
In 2012, Death Grips became one of my favourite groups. I couldn’t stop listening to The Money Store, hearing it shortly after the massive hype it received that year died down a little. It was heralded by many as the best album of the year thanks to its sheer energy, shattering sub-bass, insane drumming and the vocal prowess of MC Ride. I was even more impressed upon delving into their previous work, their debut mixtape Exmilitary especially. It was a perfect mix of experimental hip hop, industrial rock and punk aggression with excellently selected samples ranging from Pink Floyd’s ‘Interstellar Overdrive’ and Black Flag’s ‘Rise Above’ to Link Wray’s ‘Rumble’. Distorting the line between experimental hip hop and punk, Death Grips became one of the most talked about groups of the 21st century.
A few months after The Money Store, Death Grips released No Love Deep Web. They leaked the album as a free download before the formal release was set by their label, Epic Records. Although I found the stunt hilarious at the time (just look at that album cover), this seemed to be the beginning of several controversial stunts for the band. Additionally, No Love Deep Web was the first piece of music from Death Grips that seemed to be drop in quality. The following albums Government Plates and Niggas On The Moon just didn’t click, the catchiness appeared to be replaced by ill-fitting experimental tendencies. To add insult to injury, the band cancelled several tours and didn’t bother to show up at festivals, instead they wrote a “suicide note” and subsequently explained they never intended to perform at these shows in the first place. Despite being asked to perform alongside Soundgarden and key-influences Nine Inch Nails for a huge tour in the Summer of 2014, they disbanded, pompously stating they were a “conceptual art exhibition” and they were “at their best”, refusing to acknowledge fans disappointment at their intentional no-shows and the dip in album quality. I was just about ready to give up on the group so I was sort of satisfied upon hearing they had decided to call it a day. Although I understand the sense of immediacy is why people enjoy NLDW, Government Plates and Niggas On The Moon and their raucous, noisy experimentalism, I just didn’t personally connect with them. Jenny Death was a step in the right direction, however.
With Death Grips announcing their reversion to touring and making music, I was hoping they would return to form and cease the exploits. In 2015, they released ‘Hot Head’ and once again I was disappointed, the track sounded like a complete mess. When Bottomless Pit came around in May, I didn’t even bother listening to it until a friend convinced me it was “their best since The Money Store”. Initially sceptical, I decided to give their sixth studio album a go. After several listens that week and many more throughout the year, I came to the conclusion that this was my favourite album of 2016.
Bottomless Pit surpassed all expectations. From the thrash metal referencing opener ‘Giving Good People Bad Ideas’ to the closer ‘Bottomless Pit’, I was hooked, even growing to enjoy ‘Hot Head’. Bottomless Pit is perhaps Death Grip’s most diverse album thanks to thirteen genre-spanning tracks which reference industrial metal, noise rock, abstract hip hop, glitch and digital hardcore. Although it is often compared to The Money Store in terms of sound, it sounds like a sequel as opposed to a direct imitation. Although frequently noisy, brash and overflowing in layers of sound and instrumentation, Bottomless Pit is incredibly enjoyable, fun, sinister, interesting and doesn’t outstay its welcome.
Although preceded by several great tracks, Bottomless Pit hits a stride at around the halfway point with ‘Eh’ and its ingenious syncopated rapping delivery which perfectly fit with the unobtrusive beat and background electronics. There is no “drop” or aggressive instrumentation in ‘Eh’, it sounds like the group at their “most hip hop”. This style should be explored in more depth it would be great to hear Death Grips making an album with a similar sound to abstract hip hop artists such as MF DOOM or Company Flow, for example.
‘Trash’ is comparable to ‘Eh’, showcasing MC Ride’s clever wordplay and rapping virtuosity. Songs like ‘Bubbles Buried In This Jungle’, ‘Ring A Bell’, ‘8080808’ and ‘BB Poison’ feature throbbing riffs and dense beats reminiscent of industrial rock/metal acts Godflesh and Nine Inch Nails. Bottomless Pit also features excellent production, bone rattling sub-bass and intricate percussion thanks to drummer Zach Hill and producer Flatlander, traits which become increasingly apparent on tracks such as ‘Houdini’ and ‘Warping’.
Overall, Bottomless Pit is an exceptional return to form, incorporating all the elements of Death Grips’ previous releases whilst resuming the catchy hooks and head-nod inducing beats of Exmilitary and The Money Store. This album rekindled my love for Death Grips and seeing them perform at an insane sold out show in Manchester only furthered this. They are the band I’ve listened to the most out of any artist in 2016 as I’ve revisited their entire discography in addition to playing Bottomless Pit countless times. Although some will say there have been more ground-breaking albums released in 2016, it is this album which I keep coming back to over and over again. I discover new things upon every listen and rarely skip a track if one comes up on shuffle. The success of Death Grips comeback album and the ensuing tours which saw them performing to thousands whilst actually having fun again (the group performed in London in Halloween dressed in full suit attire) is a delightful feat. The group continue to shock and perplex in equal measure and recent social media uploads have seen bizarre imagery posted with no explanation, raising countless questions on what this could “mean”. There’s no doubt we’ll hear something from the prolific and eye-brow raising group but until then, Bottomless Pit, the best album of 2016, will be played continuously.
So after watching Straight Outta Compton, the exceptionally entertaining biopic on notorious gangsta rap group N.W.A. I decided to revisit them and the output of their respective members. The key three figures in the group were producer/MC Dr. Dre and rappers Ice Cube and the late Eazy-E who each brought an incendiary, individual style to the group. Dre was the latest out of the three to record a solo effort, but his became the utmost celebrated, influential and commercially successful. It influenced pretty much all of hip-hop for over half a decade, its patented sound defined the west coast hip hop scene in addition to a heap of east coast stuff (just listen to The Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Big Poppa’, for example). It spawned the genre known as G-funk, a subgenre characterised by a style of production using limited samples, deep bass which drew on Parliament/Funkadelic grooves and live instrumentation such as high pitched synthesizers. Every song on The Chronic is exceptionally well produced; every track features memorable beats with brilliantly selected samples. The ominous bass, news report snippets and gang chants give ‘The Day the Niggaz Took Over’ an eerie, urbane feel (recalling the L.A. riots of 1992 after the not-guilty verdict of the Rodney King case) whilst ‘Lil’ Ghetto Boy’ is incredibly smooth with synths that border on symphonic. It goes without saying that the singles of ‘Let Me Ride’ and ‘Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang’ are certified bangers. The Chronic positioned Dr. Dre at the forefront of gangsta rap and hip hop scenes in general with its controversial urban realism and futuristic beats. It fueled the fires of hullabaloo commenced by his former groups tales of violence and hood mentality, it saw the birth of G-funk and launched the career of Snoop Dogg. The Chronic is a stone cold classic; give it a spin if you’re even vaguely into hip hop.
The Olivia Tremor Control – Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume 1 (1999)
Wow, this one was just dripping in colourful weirdness. At nearly 70 minutes long, it’s a psychedelic pop mammoth, influenced by late 60s guitar pop such as The Beatles, The Zombies and The Beach Boys. It’s incredibly whimsical and its synthesis of sickly sweet melodically delivered ditties and obscure sound collage/field recording samples make for a dizzying trip of a listen. The Olivia Tremor Control are members of the indie rock and psychedelic pop collective known as the Elephant 6 which notably features the seminal indie/folk act Neutral Milk Hotel. The sound featured in Black Foliage… however is more closely affiliated with other artists in the commune, especially the quirky psychedelia of Circulatory System and Of Montreal. Part of the albums downfall is also its charm; the manipulations and medley of sound in the interludes give this album a ‘trippy’ retro feel whilst also seeming futuristic and fresh. It’s an album of juxtaposition and that leads to juxtaposed feelings. Usually I can’t stand meandering and strange trails of experimentation that go nowhere but here on Black Foliage, it adds to the charm of the record, making it sound like a gem lost somewhere in the hedonism days of The Summer of Love. Funnily enough, they never did make a Volume 2.
Foxing – The Albatross (2013)
This one was a definitely a surprise. Having disliked records by The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die (irksome band name, right?) and other post-rock inflicted emo, I was expecting to hate this band/album. What I found was ten gorgeous tracks with a chamber pop vibe; the overall melodramatic and spontaneous emotive feel is reminiscent of Arcade Fire’s debut Funeral. I really enjoyed ‘Inuit’ with its dynamic delving, the subtle anthemic quality and fiddly guitars in ‘Bit By A Dead Bee Part I’. Not even the glitch influenced percussion could ruin the brilliant ‘The Medic’. Emo is a genre I’ve put a huge amount of effort listening and looking into but the majority of it has fallen short. The Albatross, however was a more immediate record, I began to enjoy it within a few tracks.
Common – Like Water For Chocolate (2000)
Common’s Like Water For Chocolate is an exploration into soul and jazz by means of hip hop. The beats organic sound is due to production from the Soulquarians collective, an all-star cast of modern soul and hip hop musicians from the more alternative side of the respective genres including (but not limited to) beat making legend J Dilla, The Roots’ Questlove and D’Angelo. The sound is definitely comparable to Slum Village and The Roots; smooth, jazzy, and with a percussive flair. Jay Dee has some unreal beats of course, especially the psych alluding ‘Nag Champa’ which sounds like Hendrix playing solos backwards. The highlight however is the DJ Premier cut ‘The 6th Sense’ which sees his signature turntable scratch imposed beats become the centre-piece of the album. Clocking it at nearly 80 minutes long, this isn’t something palatable in a single listen, it could definitely do with some of the fat trimmed. Its length means it isn’t an ideal introduction to those wanting to get into jazz rap and conscious hip hop, however it is regarded as a classic in many circles.
Atlas Sound – Logos (2009)
Atlas Sound is the moniker of Bradford Cox, member of the neo-psych/dream pop group Deerhunter. There’s something with a lot of his groups music I find very pleasant and enjoyable, but rarely memorable. It’s usually a sound comprising of a haze of ambient textured guitars, breezily washing over me, making me unable to recall what exactly I liked most about it. This statement may seem a bit harsh, but their dreamy soundscapes are the main reason why so many of their cult fanbase are captivated by them. Logos is the best thing I’ve heard from them anything Deerhunter related since 2009s Microcastle. I love the pulsating bass in ‘Washington School’, the Panda Bear featuring ‘Walkabout’ and the warm, cyclical acoustic guitar strums on ‘Attic Lights’. With a few more listens, I feel I’ll be able to really dig this.
Other notable listens:
Thee Oh Sees – Carrion Crawler / The Dream EP (2011)
I’m not entirely sure when I started to listen to Southern hip-hop , I just know that Outkast are played time and time again. For some reason, this Atlanta duo gets passed off as being a one hit novelty wonder for ‘Hey Ya’. Everyone who’s really into hip hop knows this isn’t the case, they’ve been going since 1992 (but have slowed down with numerous hiatuses since 2007). Every Outkast album is entirely different: the pimp tales and smooth southern beats of their debut, the space aged ATLiens, the soulful Aquemini, the faster paced hard hitting beats of Stankonia, the genre experimentations of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (this is the London Calling or White Album of rap) and the off the wall blues of Idlewild. Outkast are perhaps the group that have expanded hip hop the most, creating high quality music with each release yet all with new found experimentation and influences. ATLiens is definitely my favourite, I love the extra-terrestrial themes paired with the liquid production and technical rapping. Andre 3000 is perhaps the most technically skilled MC of all time and his intangible lyrics are always thought-provoking. That’s not to discredit Big Boi either, both are immense and their pairing is unmatched. Granted, I haven’t checked out huge amounts of Southern rap yet I can say I love both Outkast and Scarface. Scarface has one of the best voices in rap and his album The Diary is amazing full of classics like ‘Hand of the Dead Body’, ‘My Mind Playin’ Tricks On Me’ and ‘No Tears’ which define the genre.
Can We Get Much Higher?
Modern hip hop is at an odd and interesting place, it’s full of cult underground artists, swag rap, r’n’b crossover acts, throwback characters, trap rappers and stars who’ve achieved worldwide fame, appeal with true rap fans and overwhelming critical acclaim, Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West are two in particular who have all their material lauded upon every release whilst selling millions and headlining festivals across the globe, for example. Although I loved Kendrick’s sophomore LP, I just couldn’t get into his latest, despite being considered one of the best of the decade. Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy on the other hand is an album I can fully support. It’s completely over the top, but that’s why I like it; art rap or progressive hip hop are two tags that summarise the album with its grandiose magnitude. From the single piano notes of the ambitious ‘Runaway’ to the stunning Aphex Twin sampling ‘Blame Game’, the album has its beautiful moments. It also has anthemic, hard-hitting tracks such as ‘Power’ and ‘All of the Lights’. This album turned me from a Kanye cynic to being highly appreciative of his output. Ignore his status in pop culture and all of his stunts and it’s easy to understand his talents. He’s expanded the boundaries of hip hop whether you like it or not, bringing alternative rap to the highest points of mainstream culture. He’s worked with cult rappers such as Talib Kweli, Mos Def and Common, brought soul sampling back to the genre, took industrial sounds to the mainstream, brought A Tribe Called Quest with him on tour and has key underground figure Madlib producing tracks on his highly anticipated forthcoming album Waves. Also, if you aren’t a fan of him because of his arrogance yet enjoy the music of Oasis, Prince, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Smiths, Megadeth (etc. etc.) then please re-evaluate him and why you like/dislike certain musicians. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is classed as being the best album of the 2010 decade and one of the greatest of all time so there isn’t much about it that hasn’t already been said. Go and listen to it if you’re a late-comer to it.
The next few MCs I’m going to talk about are completely different to Yeezy in sound and in success. They pay their respects to the old-school players on the scene yet all add something new, demonstrating that although the “Golden Age” has passed, there’s still humongous amounts of talent out there.
Joey Bada$$ took me by surprise with his debut mixtape 1999. His rapping and samples from the best cuts of Dilla, DOOM and Lord Finesse are all on point here and the 90s renaissance sound is more than welcome. Joey still hasn’t topped this one yet but I haven’t given up on him, there’s plenty more to come from this young MC.
Everything about Danny Brown is hardcore. The tales about his life in the wrecks of Detroit, his unrefined yet hilarious wordplay, and his drugged-out lifestyle are displayed throughout by means of vocalisms ranging from high screeches and resonant low end murmurs, spat over eclectic beats which range from industrial noise (‘Die Like A Rockstar’) to simple metronome-like beats (‘Radio Song’). It doesn’t pander to any particular regional scene or subgenre of rap, it adds all of them into the mix and in some cases, improves on them.
Freddie Gibbs and Madlib could have been a match made in hell; mixing a gangsta rapper with an indie rap pioneer seems like it wouldn’t work under any circumstances yet on Piñata, they proved it definitely could. It collates all the best parts of their previous EP releases into a cohesive full-length album. Madlib provides the beats so obviously it’s brilliant in that department (just listen to those cinematic strings on ‘Deeper’) whilst Gibbs recites bars regarding his mobster routines effortlessly.
The next pair have taken the hip-hop world by storm. Run the Jewels is a collaboration between former Company Flow MC El-P and Southern rapper Killer Mike. Their debut album caught me by surprise, it goes hard as fuck from the onset. No skits, no filler and has the hardest hitting beats and fastest verses of recent memory. I adored the immediacy of it, which is often lacking in a lot of hip-hop (with undesired album lengths and skits that add nothing to the music). They have given all their music away for free as digital downloads, allowing them to reach a huge audience in a clever manner. Their live shows are absolutely insane, and their energy is unparalleled. I really hope I can see them live in the near future but in the meanwhile, I’ll be eagerly anticipating Run the Jewels 3.
Action Bronson may not be the most original emcee on the list (it seems he is compared to Ghostface Killah every time his name is mentioned) but what he makes up for in innovation vocally, he makes up for it in his lyricisms. As a talented former chef, he weaves his love for food into his rhymes about his racketeer regime which is mouth-wateringly entertaining (“Got the lamb rack, pan-roasted, laced it with fennel/Little yogurt that been drizzled over might be a winner” is an example of one of his many food related verses). Bronson has been prolifically releasing music since 2011 and everything he’s released has been great, I’d recommend Dr. Lecter and the first Blue Chips mixtape to start with though.
Special mentions have to go to BADBADNOTGOOD and Earl Sweatshirt. BBNG make jazz for hip hop fans, integrating its sounds into their music since their inception in addition to covering many rap songs. I’m really excited to see what comes from this young blokes seen as their LP BBNGIII really impressed me with its jazz fusion sound and modern methodology. Although I’m not huge on Earl, I’m so glad he’s stepped away from the swag-rap of Odd Future. His more recent work has delved into depressive darkness with a claustrophobic and minimalist approach. Doris impressed me in parts with his improved rapping style and beats that recalled DOOM and Wu-Tang and his and latest work Solace, a ten minute track/EP completely weirded me out. Let’s hope there are more good things from this guy.
Cashmere Thoughts
It wouldn’t be a completed list if I didn’t mention these. I can’t approximate the exact time I was listening to them, but here are some more of my favourite albums from the genre.
If you think Jay-Z is some sort of pop rapper, then think again. Reasonable Doubt is as hardcore as they come and it’s just as good as any of the East Coast stuff at the time; it’s like a mix between Illmatic and Ready to Die. It’s his least successful but nevertheless is recognised as being a fully-fledged classic. It shows the gritty realism of Jay’s upbringing and hustling activities. The beats are dazzling and hardcore and offer no crossover appeal of his later works, it’s New York through and through. Choice cuts are the conspiracy theory tales in ‘D’Evils’, the contemplative ‘Regrets’ and the classic boom-bap of ‘Dead Presidents II’ (which samples ‘The World is Yours’ without Nas’ permission, setting of a decade long feud between the two). The Blueprint is also definitely worth checking about, featuring a back to basics approach and stepping away from mainstream flirtations.
Dr. Dre’s The Chronic introduced me to West Coast hip hop and the space-aged production of G-Funk. It brought funk to the forefront of rap again, Parliament and Funkadelic are sampled numerous times. The beats are hard and funky yet offer pop appeal, the synths are high pitched and whistle, Dre’s rhymes seem effortless and his partnership with Snoop Dogg (who was unknown at the time) is sublime. One thing I’m not sure of is if Dre enjoys smoking marijuana, he doesn’t mention it at all! Also, his respect for women is admirable, ‘Bitches Ain’t Shit’ is a true feminist anthem. Either way, his lyrics might not be the best but his production more than makes up for it, he’s the Phil Spector/Brian Wilson of hip hop.
I revisited The Roots Things Fall Apart recently and was so surprised by how good it was and why I didn’t like it the first time round. The Roots are a group who utilise live instrumentations to create beats, Questlove is a fantastic percussionist and main MC Blackthought is a highly talented and often steals the show. There’s warped jazz on ‘Dynamite!’, downtrodden folk stylings on ‘You Got Me’ and pulsating bass on ‘Step Into the Realm’. There’s actually too many great tracks to name, I can’t wait to delve into this group more. This revitalised my love for the genre and sparked my interest in it again.
Wu-Gambinos
The Wu-Tang Clan are such a force in hip hop, with albums from respective solo members being just as good as their classic debut. You get Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, an excursion into tenacious drug locales which practically became the basis for Mafioso rap, GZA/Genius’ wisdom filled rhymes and continuous kung-fu flow in Liquid Swords, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s one of a kind style in Return to the 36 Chambers (“because there ain’t no father to his technique” as Method Man states at the end of ‘Can It Be All So Simple’) and Ghostface Killah; a hugely consistent rapper (whilst most members of the Clan have brought out one classic, Ghostface has made three: Iron Man, Supreme Clientele and Fishscale) who’s technical ability, rare soul samples and abstract lyricism define his sound. They do however share things in common, they tend to have similar production of the urbane yet soulful sprawl of RZA’s beats and feature guest appearances from members of the Clan. They took the hip hop world by storm and so many genre classics have spawned from the group, an unrivalled feat in hip hop.
So, there it is. That’s why I love hip hop, the genre which came from nothing to defining urban art and culture. Those are my favourites and there’s the story of how it became one of my all-time favourite genres. Also, I can’t forget these guys too: Ice Cube, Big L, Common, Company Flow, Dälek, all of DOOM’s projects, Lil Ugly Mane, Aesop Rock, Digable Planets, Count Bass D, DJ Screw, Eric B. & Rakim, Gravediggaz, Smif-n-Wessun, Jeru the Damaja, Jungle Brothers, KRS One and Boogie Down Productions, Main Source, Ultramagnetic MCs, Clams Casino, Run-D.M.C., Kool G Rap, Roots Manuva, Rejjie Snow, Tricky, Souls of Mischief, Death Grips, The Streets, (early) Dizzee Rascal, Kendrick, Big K.R.I.T., Lil Ugly Mane, Akala, Lauryn Hill, Milo, The Avalanches, Method Man, RJD2, UGK, A$AP Rocky and Mobb Deep.
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