Updated Requests

Roy Ayers - 'Searching'
taken from Vibrations (Polydor, 1976)

It's rare that I draw attention to the requests section of my sidebar, but I've added a few bits and pieces recently that I'd really like to get my hands on in preparation for some upcoming posts. The majority are songs that I haven't been able to track down in digital format or as material purchases: I don't throw those things up there lightly. Any help in locating any of these would be greatly appreciated, so if you have any of them and it isn't too time-consuming to do so, drop me an e-mail or a comment in the C-Box. A reiterated thanks go out to those that have done so in the past (I see you Krisch): join the club if you can.

Blastin' Out The Building - Deconstructions Of The Prophet Part II

Jeru Tha Damaja - 'Revenge Of The Prophet (Part 5)'
taken from The Wrath Of The Math (Payday/ffrr, 1996)

In my analysis of Jeru's classic 'You Can't Stop The Prophet' I drew allusions to action-adventure narratives to which Tha Damaja's verses hold a strong link. In keeping with this, Jeru conforms to another stereotype of the genre with the follow-up 'Revenge Of The Prophet (Part 5)' taken from his sophomore release: the sequel isn't as good. Now don't get me wrong, Jeru still drops some dope rhymes here in his inimitable style (and of course the beat is superb), but for me the narrative lacks the breadth and sophistication of its predecessor. Whereas 'You Can't Stop The Prophet' moves seamlessly from set piece to set piece whilst taking in a range of characters, 'Revenge...' lacks the momentum and sheer sense of ass-kicking fun that was captured so brilliantly on the original cut. Still, there's plenty to talk about here, so let's get down to business.

Verse I:

After the 'recap' that constitutes the beginning of the song, Jeru drops us straight back into the world of the Prophet:

It's been a while since I escaped the library,
Fightin' Ignorance everyday, it's gettin' weary,
When I think I got him,
He pulls a slip on me,
And there's so many soldiers
In his fiendish ass army...

Although we are provided no explanation of exactly how the Prophet removed himself from the conundrum he found himself in at the end of 'You Can't Stop...' it is of little consequence: he's back in the game after what we can assume was another miraculous and daring escape. Despite his continued heroics, the Prophet now seems somewhat exhausted by his escapades and the continued struggle against Ignorance. In some ways I find this new aspect to his character disappointing, a crack in his sense of invincibility, although it does serve to reiterate the strength of the enemy.

One of the fiercest, is this nigga named Tricknology,
The last time we met he got the drop on me,
Shit happens so fast he even got some of my family,
Blasted my way up out the building,
When I catch him I'm gonna kill him...

One of my key issues with these verses is the tangibility of the enemy: what exactly is Tricknology meant to represent beyond fulfilling the role of supervillain? Whereas 'You Can't Stop...' painted a picture of the ghetto with a range of personified negative forces, this new foe lacks the link to reality that made the first installment so lyrically successful (although we are told that he has been "lyin' to children"). The Prophet's weariness can perhaps be explained by the loss of some of his family, and the listener is left in little doubt as to his sense of purpose from this point onwards.

1-2-5th's the stop, go outside I hear gunshots,
Run up the block,
Greedy Lou's dead in front of the materialistic crack spot,
Trick's yellin' out this is my block,
I would've hit him, but I didn't have a clear shot,
An innocent bystander might get popped...

The inherent evil of Tricknology is highlighted here by his attempt at the assassination of Greedy Lou, presumably another minion of Ignorance whose name draws associations with the mafia. Despite the possibility laid out in front of the Prophet to take down Tricknology he resists: no innocent blood will be on his hands. Once again, he reminds us that "he still can't be stopped" before Tricknology's brief, self-aggrandising interlude.

Verse II:

I'm in a fucked up position,
But if he squeezes again, I'm gonna lift 'em,
A few seconds later now here comes the siren,
Oh shit it's the pork chop patrol,
They're on Ignorance's payroll...

The tangibility of Jeru's narrative picks up here, with Ignorance's control of the city being highlighted by his superiority over the police. Despite the difficulty of the situation, the Prophet maintains the necessary confidence to succeed, reinforcing his superhero status. Whilst scooping Greedy Lou from the floor the police spot our hero on the scene and unleash "mad lead...in the air". It ain't gonna be easy...

...shit they're everywhere,
Through in the back and forth my gun gets lost,
But I managed to get one high-powered thought off,
I split 6 pigs that got sawed offs...

As in 'You Can't Stop...', not only does the Prophet have physical strength but also intellectual power that can defeat the enemy. The "high-powered thought" is an effective piece of imagery that acts like a shockwave, taking down those that surround him. Now provided with the necessary opportunity to escape, Jeru rounds the verse off with the now well-ingrained refrain that professes his invincibility, but with an increased sense of emphasis:

...the Prophet won't go out at any cost,
You could never stop the prophet...

Verse III:

I head toward the train station,
My force did stop most of the ammunition,
Still I need medical attention,
But I'm not bitchin', gettin' Ignorance is my mission...

Despite the weariness described by the Prophet in the first verse he now seems fully rejuvenated and committed to his mission, despite his own injury. The image of the Prophet as powerful and yet open to harm increases his worth as the protagonist, eschewing concerns for himself in favour of the destruction of Ignorance.

All of a sudden Greedy Lou comes creepin',
Around the corner talkin' 'bout "Prophet you're a goner,
We knew you followed Trick uptown because you wanna,
Get rid of Ignorance but that don't make no sense,
He runs the world I know this from experience,
Why don't you come and work with us,
You'll see the boss's game is nice,"
That night, Greedy Lou died twice...

The final twist in the tale is in fact my favourite moment in 'Revenge...'. Like Luke Skywalker being invited to join the Dark Side, the potential for our hero to submit to the overwhelming powers of evil and his rejection of the offer only serve to elevate him to a higher level of moral worth. With another foe now felled, the Prophet continues again on his quest to destroy Ignorance. The open ending highlights that this will remain a perpetual struggle, the cycle of violence an inevitable consequence of the Prophet's valiant efforts to bring peace to the masses. Although Ignorance's final call for the Prophet's execution is the last thing we hear, there remains little doubt that he will continue to fight for the forces of good in his ongoing quest. Armed with both physical prowess and intellectual superiority, we maintain belief in his ultimate success.

Of course, this is a worthy sequel, but as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, 'Revenge...' can't quite match the brilliance of 'You Can't Stop...' in my book. Many of the core elements of the first installment remain, but they aren't carried through with quite the same conviction or eloquence. Although 'Revenge...' is an exciting and well-thought out narrative, it lacks the clear alignment with social issues that are so wonderfully captured in 'You Can't Stop...', but beyond this, it simply isn't as exciting. As with any Hollywood action blockbuster, I think you'd be hard pushed to find anyone who genuinely thinks that the sequel trumps the original, despite its considerable successes.

But let's not go overboard. Taken as a pair, the Prophet series reveal Jeru as one of the most imaginative and ingenious MCs of his era. In terms of content, these songs really do represent story-telling lyricism at its finest, and when you throw in a great delivery and two slammin' DJ Premier beats you've got something that achieves legendary status. One more installment in the Jeru series to come: hope you're feelin' it...

Super Scientifical Power - Deconstructions Of The Prophet Part I

Jeru Tha Damaja - 'You Can't Stop The Prophet'
taken from The Sun Rises In The East (Payday/ffrr, 1994)

For those of you that check in regularly round these parts you'll know that I'm a certified beats man who rarely dabbles in lyrical analysis. Indeed, since I started this blog back in December '06, it's only really Pharoahe who has received the full 'rhyme deconstruction' treatment, but given that we're in the midst of a Jeru series here at FDB it would be near criminal to skip over a deeper perusal of the man's outstanding lyrical ability. Now Jeru can kick a little braggadocio with the best of them, but he truly excels when engaging in narratives that deal with the negative forces that plague the existence of a kid in the ghetto, and perhaps the pinnacle of his achievements in this particular category of his work can be found in the two part concept rhymes of 'You Can't Stop The Prophet' and its follow-up, 'The Revenge Of The Prophet (Part 5)'. I'm not sure exactly what happened to parts two, three and four, but let's skip over that little piece of trivia and revel in the sheer brilliance of Tha Damaja's lyrics in the first installment of FDB's 'Deconstructions Of The Prophet' where I breakdown the classic rhymes from 'You Can't Stop The Prophet'.

Verse I:

Whether our hero finally breaks into this narrative from the confines of a supernova or a black hole remains unclear, but from the outset we're left in little doubt as to the power of Jeru's assumed 'Prophet' persona:

I leap over lies in a single bound,
(who are you?)
The black prophet,
One day I got struck by knowledge of self
They gave me super scientifical powers...

Casting himself as a warrior of truth, enlightened by "knowledge of self", Jeru's entrance here could not be more emphatic. His ability to see through the untruths that dominate the world around him and his acquisition of "super scientifical powers" take him beyond a mere champion of morality and portray him as a character of superhero proportions, a theme that builds throughout the song's progression:

Now I, run through the ghetto,
Battling my arch nemesis Mr. Ignorance,
He's been trying to take me out since the days of my youth,
He feared this day would come.
I'm hot on his trail,
But sometimes he slips away, because he has an army,
They always give me trouble,
mainly Hatred, Jealousy and Envy...

The true genius of Jeru's work here is in the personification of his foes. In doing so, he creates a tangibility to his opponents: more than simply abstract concepts they become living, breathing characters with whom to battle. Only the slippery Ignorance is granted a title, his role as "Mr." highlighting his place as the head honcho of an army made up of equally destructive forces of negativity. Jeru cruises to victory against these collective foes, employing both forces of intellect (his "sharp skilled bookmarks") and physical strength (our hero can "dip" and "do a back-flip") to crush his opponents. Although this is only a singular battle within the context of a wider war, Jeru reminds us of his invincibility: "...no matter what he do, [Ignorance] can't stop the Prophet".

Verse II:

Unscathed from his first encounter, the Prophet fearlessly continues in his quest to eliminate Mr. Ignorance, and as news of a shooting downtown reaches him he is thrown into another situation which will require all of his 'seven' senses. It is at this stage that the structure of Jeru's verses starts to take on parallels with traditional narratives found in action-adventure films, where the audience is taken from one set piece to another with a sense of excitement and momentum:

Let's continue the saga, mad, mad drama,
I met this chick, she said she knew where Ignorance was at,
I said "where?", she said downtown
He had babies having babies,
And young niggas selling crack,
I think the bitch is lying it's a set-up
I can smell it, but Ignorance is runnin' rampant...

Despite his reservations concerning his informant, the Prophet's commitment to his cause sees him take the bait laid by one of Mr. Ignorance's minions. In detailing the nature of his foe's impact on society, Jeru grounds his narrative back in reality, highlighting the troubles facing the average ghetto dweller. Fueled by concerns over drug addiction and premature pregnancy, he heads towards his enemies despite his awareness of those in his pursuit:

I turn around, it's Anger and he's brought a mob along,
It's the same old song,
Despair and Animosity got broke with the swiftness
I don't know what they think this is...

Introducing a new range of personified negativity widens the scope of the narrative, as the Prophet finds himself in yet another perilous situation. As in any successful action film, our hero's journey is by no means simple and tension is built as Jeru finds himself poisoned and entrapped "in the barber's shop". The message here is clear: despite the Prophet's superhuman abilities, the forces that he aims to quell are by no means lacking in strength. Indeed, the narrative relies on the tension created by these difficulties and although as listeners we remain convinced that the Prophet will triumph, there is a necessary doubt that he could perhaps fail in his mission.

Verse III:

So with the Prophet now under the custody of his foe, how will he escape?

A few minutes passed by I hear a buzzin' noise
It was that chick with some of Ignorance's boys,
She said "Prophet we got you beat,
By the way I'm Ignorance's wife, Deceit.
But enough talk now for your haircut",
When the clippers touched my hair, they blew the fuck up,
After the explosion there was no one left
'Cos I know them mob poison hair touch of death...

The unveiling of Deceit works much in the same way as in the aforementioned action-adventure narratives, with a figure who has aroused suspicion at an earlier stage now exposed as an ally of the key foe. Like James Bond unveiling a concealed gadget that we never knew he possessed, the Prophet manages to escape from a seemingly impossible situation by virtue of his hair, its power derived from its link with Jeru's "knowledge of self" and the spiritual connotations of dreadlocks. With Deceit and Ignorance's boys now dealt with, it is time for our hero to proceed:

My vision's still kinda blurry, but I see a clue,
Ignorance is at the library
I hurry, with lightning speed like the flash,
He's at the big one, on Grand, Army Plaz,
When I get inside the doors shut and the lights go off,
Damn another trap,
I hear a hissing sound, I smell a funny smell,
I gasp, I can't breath,
Ignorance is laughing at me
Waiting on my downfall,
But he can't stop the prophet...

In what we expect to be a final face off with Mr. Ignorance, Jeru sets himself up for a sequel. Despite the seeming impossibility of victory in the final sequence in this installment of the series, Jeru reminds his enemy and the listener that his defeat is by no means a foregone conclusion, his Prophet persona displaying the necessary self-confidence for success.

The song draws to a close with Ignorance's misplaced taunts. By dismissing the death of his wife as inconsequential, Jeru elevates the inherent evil of his opponent to a level previously unseen. Whilst riding out on Premier's slammin' instrumental, the Prophet's foe laughs as if celebrating victory, but our expectations of both Jeru's powers and the conventions of the action-adventure narrative structure leave us with the hope that he will ultimately succeed. The genius of Jeru's work here is both in the structure of the tale and the eloquence and style with which it is delivered: very few MCs have managed such a task with such incredible success. Tha Damaja made us wait two years for the conclusion of this tale: you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how it all pans out...

The Praise Rolls Off My Lips - 'Jungle Music' Beat Deconstruction

Isaac Hayes - 'Monologue: Ike's Mood I / You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling'
taken from ...To Be Continued (Stax, 1970)

Jeru Tha Damaja - 'Jungle Music'
taken from The Sun Rises In The East (Payday/ffrr, 1994)

It doesn't take me to tell you that not only is Brooklyn's Jeru Tha Damaja the clear mic champion of the Gangstarr Foundation (that is until he fell out with Guru and DJ Premier), but also one of the most gifted and accomplished wordsmiths to ever grace this here culture called hip hop. Combining content and flow is the Achilles' heel of the majority of MCs, but Jeru glides through this conundrum with such ease that he puts the majority of other lyricists to shame. At his pinnacle, Kendrick Jeru Davis was able to effortlessly combine a top level delivery and distinctive vocal timbre with a wide variety of subject matter, from straight up braggin' rhymes to highly sophisticated urban narratives that dealt with the issues of the world in which he dwelled with such style that he remains for me one of hip hop's most talented and enduring figureheads. As a result I'm putting together a series of posts over the following week that will focus on his work taking in beats, rhymes and a couple of overlooked joints that have always found a place in my listening habits and increased the ferocity of the crick in my neck.

Although Livin' Proof is often held up as the seminal piece of production work from the mighty DJ Premier, I would have to say that beat for beat there really is little distinction to be made between it and The Sun Rises In The East, with the latter boasting a greater number of standouts, most notably 'Come Clean' and 'You Can't Stop The Prophet' (for the sake of this discussion let's not concern ourselves with a redundant comparison of the lyrical prowess, or lack thereof, displayed on each of these albums). One cut that has always seemed criminally underrated to me is 'Jungle Music', a slammin' piece of production work that finds itself nestled into the penultimate spot on the album after 'Come Clean' and before the considerably less aggressive closer 'Statik'.

Preem draws his inspiration from none other than Isaac Hayes in this instance, jacking piano and vibraphone from the somewhat ridiculously titled 'Monologue: Ike's Mood I / You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'' from 1970's ...To Be Continued. Clocking in at just over fifteen minutes, this mini-symphony has been sampled on numerous occasions, but none so artfully as by Premier with 'Jungle Music'. The section of the composition to focus on comes right at the end of the song (just after the fourteen minute mark), where Hayes strips the groove down to piano, vibes and lightly skipping cymbal hits. As with his work on Group Home's 'Suspended In Time', this song really demonstrates Premier's keen ear for samples and masterful chopping ability, his reinterpretation moving far enough away from the original so as to make it barely recognisable.

There are certain touches to 'Jungle Music' itself that make it even more special. I love the opening of the track: the sounds of the jungle set the mood only to be broken by offbeat piano chords, the arrangement of which mean the initial snare hit takes the listener by surprise before the drop into the main groove. No Premier track would be complete without the much revered scratch chorus, and this is another fine example, featuring a line from the Jungle Brothers' classic 'Straight Out The Jungle' that slips into the mix perfectly. To top it all off Jeru comes at you with some of the most eloquent verses to be found anywhere on the album, detailing the transportation of his 'ancestors' drums...from pyramids to the ghetto' and the intrinsic power that they hold. The words 'drop' and 'science' feel particularly relevant here.

'Jungle Music' represents all that is great about The Sun Rises In The East, with a sensational beat and some dope rhymes that complement each other perfectly to create a little nugget of hip hop gold. Hold tight for more in the Jeru series over the coming week where in the next installment I'll be analysing/losing myself in one of the greatest narratives in the history of hip hop... can you guess what it is yet?

FDB Hits NYC - A Holiday Round-Up

It’s amazing how much a holiday can throw you out of your regular routine, hence the lack of posts around these parts since my arrival back from NYC last Friday. I’m now off to the south of France to spend a week with my family whilst relaxing in the Mediterranean sun, and just to put the icing on the cake, my parents have now added a wireless connection at our certifiably middle class home abroad. The upshot of this is that I’m not only blessed with the opportunity to indulge myself in copious amounts of food and wine in great company, but that I can also allow the contents of my hip hopping think-tank loose with a view of the sea. It may seem like a sweet little number, but I promise that in the depths of term time these moments seem a very distant memory, but rest assured, I’m gonna enjoy it before the mob of knowledge hungry teenagers (yeah, right) take a hold of me in just a couple of weeks time.

Anyway, enough of my personal situation: let’s get into some music. There were more than a few bits and pieces that myself and my girlfriend enjoyed music-wise whilst dwellin’ in the rotten apple, so here’s a rundown of things that we checked out that may interest you.

Check The Technique Launch Party @ Rewind, Manhattan 9/8/07

I don’t imagine that anybody reading this has not yet devoured Brian Coleman’s excellent new book that details the stories behind 36 classic hip hop albums, but given that it has not yet seen a release in the UK, I was busting to get my hands on a copy to enjoy whilst in the birthplace of hip hop. It goes without saying that if you haven’t got this yet it is an absolutely essential purchase for any self-respecting hip hop geek (or junkie as Coleman would prefer us to be known), and I was fortunate enough to meet him at the launch party where he listed another ten or so albums which are already set for a place in the sequel. Unfortunately, a mixture of a considerable amount of alcohol and an impending ‘disagreement’ with aforementioned girlfriend means that this list has now leaked from my memory, and I can only recall him mentioning Critical Beatdown. Still, I do remember being distinctly excited, and if the first installment is anything to go by then the sequel will be a joy.

Mr Walt and Evil Dee supplied the music for the evening and in conversation with the latter he mentioned a couple of projects he’s working on at the moment including a new Black Moon album and a full length collaboration with O.C., both of which I feel could be great or incredibly disappointing: we’ll have to wait and see.

Hush Tours – Manhattan & The Bronx 11/8/07

Hush Tours have been going for four years now, the brainchild of a woman called Deborah who along with various pioneering legends of the genre will show you around some places of hip hopping significance in NYC for a mere $55 (I’m not sure it warranted the price tag). Led by Grandmaster Caz, the tour took in various spots in Harlem and the Bronx, and is worth doing if you don’t know the city well and need a helping hand in finding some of the less obvious spots that have played a part in the development of the culture. I’m not sure how ghetto it is getting on a tour bus and wandering around Harlem with a collection of other people who ranged from the cool to the downright strange, but it was enjoyable nevertheless. Perhaps the most poignant moment for me was when I asked Caz which period in the culture he thought was the best, and rather predictably his reply was a categorical “in the beginning”. Looks like we’re doomed: young or old, the general consensus is that hip hop was always better ‘back in the day’. But then I guess we knew that already… let’s keep on reminiscing people.

Brand Nubian @ Sputnik, Brooklyn 11/8/07

I was understandably excited when I realised that Brand Nubian were going to be playing whilst I was in NYC, and the boys did not disappoint, with an hour long set that genuinely rocked the crowd. Apart from DJ Alamo, all original crew members were present and correct, storming through a set that included all of their classic early material as well as the odd Puba solo joint thrown in for good measure. In a venue that held only 97 people, there was an intimacy to this gig that was electrifying, and despite the slightly weathered look of Puba, Sadat X and Lord Jamar, their delivery was as fresh and as on point as it was in 1990. Surprisingly they didn’t play any of their new material from their soon to be released LP, but in some ways the gig was all the better for it, steeped in a sense of nostalgia and a straight up, feel good vibe.

What surprised me most about this event was that such concrete legends of the genre could be playing in such a small venue in the home of hip hop for a mere $15. Check yourself New York: where the love at?!

Zap Mama @ Central Park, Manhattan 12/8/07

There were a whole host of free outdoor gigs on the go over the course of my stay as well, and perhaps the biggest treat of them all was Zap Mama, a group who I had heard nothing of before. Turns out their lead singer has done collaborations with a variety of Badu infected hip hop artists including Common and The Roots, and the band’s live show was excellent, taking in influences from soul, jazz, samba and other categories of world music that I can never really get my head around. Suffice to say the end result was highly enjoyable, and I’ll be checking for some of their material in the future: I suggest that you do as well.



Leela James @ Jackie Robinson Park, Harlem 16/8/07

Our final night in the Big Apple was filled with the delights of Leela James whose live performance was captivating, taking in blues, funk and a few soul covers to keep the party rockin'. Nothing particularly original here, with Leela falling into the pitfalls of soul cliche a few too many times for my liking ("we've all been hurt y'all..."), and I have since downloaded her debut LP A Change Is Gonna Come which unfortunately fails to capture the grittier edge of her live show and feels a little too polished, but it still felt great standing in a park in Harlem for free and soaking up the atmosphere. If she can pull a Sharon Jones and translate some of this energy onto record, she could be an artist to look out for in the future. There's also a Pete Rock connection here, with her featuring on a track from Soul Survivor II and with some mysterious PR adlibs on the track 'Good Time' from her debut, so you know that's always going to keep me enticed.

Apologies if this post has felt a little self-indulgent, but it really did feel great to be in the home of hip hop, if only for a brief time: it really is one of the most exciting and culturally rich places that I have ever visited on the planet. I'll be hitting you with a special series of posts this week which will focus on my usual beat deconstructions and straight up hip hop, so forgive the brief digression and brace yourselves: it's gonna be big...

FDB/FWM Unite! Top 5 Pete Rock Remixes

Given that I am just coming off the back of a nineteen hour door to door trip from NYC, there is a serious risk of me descending into incoherent rambling if I don't keep myself in check. Needless to say I had a great time hanging out in the Big Apple and will be putting together a post over the weekend detailing some of the experiences that may interest you (read: I'll be focusing on music, not what I had for breakfast). My jet-lagged hazy state will hopefully have cleared by then...

Fortunately, I have something a little special up my sleeve to mark my return in the shape of a collaboration with Flood of the mighty floodwatchmusic.com. I've long considered Flood to be a key member of my internet-based crew, and have always admired his blog for its eclecticism, deep musical understanding and downright dope write-ups, so it's a real pleasure for me to be collaborating with him on what we hope will be a series of posts that celebrate a producer who we both have a lot of love for: Pete Rock. What began as a jokey aside about a 'Pete Rock Appreciation Society' has now come into fruition, and we hope that you'll get as much out of these posts as we have collaborating on this one. The format is simple: taking turns to nominate Pete Rock related points of discussion we will then work collaboratively to combine our opinions about the matter at hand in the hope that the result will have a greater depth of analysis than if we were running our usual one-man shows. I was first up and chose to nominate my top five Pete Rock remixes of all time: here's the fruits of our labour...

FDB Top 5 Pete Rock Remixes

FDB: Whittling down my favourite Pete Rock remix productions to a mere five is a near impossible task that has caused me much turmoil over the last couple of weeks, but as I wipe the final drop of sweat from my brow, these are the constant flames that have risen from the ashes of my fortnight’s procrastination. Time for some analysis…

The first thing to note is that all five of my selections fall into a two-year time frame, rather expectedly in between the two Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth albums. Of course, this wasn’t just a great era for our boy Pete Rock, but for hip hop music in general, so there are few surprises here, but it is indicative of the fact that this period would probably be generally regarded as the vintage years for Mount Vernon’s finest (something that Flood has already drawn attention to with his Pete Rock instrumental mix). I could roll out a list of superlatives as long as my arm here, but these are all perfect examples of his characteristic production style of the era: uptempo vibe, boomin’ drums, screeching horn tracks and a big slab of soul all working together to create warm, sumptuous and, somewhat paradoxically, gritty packages that all fans of the genre have come to worship over the last decade and a half.

FWM: I’d say the genesis of Pete Rock’s entire style occurred sometime around ’91 or ‘92, which rapidly came to fruition on the All Souled Out EP (1991) and the Mecca and The Soul Brother (1992) record. Soon everyone from PM Dawn to Biggie was requesting the remix treatment from him. What amazes me now, in retrospect, is how intact and advanced his production style was when he entered the game; there is a level of inherent musicality in each of his tracks that would seem to come from years of crate digging and woodshedding with the SP-1200. Rarely does one hear a Pete Rock production or remix from this era that could classify as 'transitional', or even 'experimental'. There is a confident intent of purpose to his early work that is is often lacking in the output of most young producers, to say nothing of his originality and innovations.

FDB: The second thing that strikes me about these selections is that in all five cases, the songs in their original incarnations are all slammin’, and this should lead us to a fuller appreciation of Pete Rock’s remixing abilities. It is significantly simpler to take a wack song and make it better than to take an already great song and make it greater, so the fact that these are all bangin’ in the first place simply serves to highlight his production prowess. These are anthems made into even bigger anthems, and I think you would be hard pressed to find another beatmaker in the game who has managed that feat with such consistent finesse.

Das EFX - 'Jussumen' (EastWest, 1992)

FWM: I find it hard to consider any Das EFX platter a ‘classic,’ even their debut. While Dre and Skoob revolutionized hip hop lyricism in terms of delivery and wordplay, more often than not they lacked a distinctive musical counterpart to complement their unique approaches to the mic. My chief complaint with Dead Serious (1992) is the uninspiring but serviceable production, a stock assembly of James Brown loops and Skull Snaps drums that lacks any sort of personality. Enter Pete Rock, whose remix of 'Jussumen' (originally appearing as a B-side on the 'Mic Checka' 12”) should’ve been the blueprint for the remainder of the album’s tracks. Pete was going apeshit with those Mountain drums back then, and one can detect their presence here, buried into the fabric of the track. It’s noisier and a lot more textural than I would expect from him at the time, but it works beautifully for the duo. Favorite moment: at 0:58, when the music drops out as Dre begins his verse with a “yiggidy yes.”

House Of Pain - 'Jump Around' (XL, 1992)

FDB: This remix falls much in the same vein as the “Hip Hop Hooray” remix, in that in both cases Pete Rock takes a crossover smash and makes it better. However, it shares more sonically with his work on 'Shut ‘Em Down', released in the same year and featuring similar musical elements in its composition. The opening eight bars are crafted beautifully, the warm and playful bassline providing a backdrop for the gradually building drum track that drops hard into the first verse. The upbeat tempo of the song and horns that echo in and out of the mix propel the groove forwards throughout the verse sections and the additional horns at the chorus make this song feel glorious. Whereas the ‘Shut ‘Em Down’ remix has a slightly darker quality, the ‘Jump Around’ remix is a straight up party banger whose sole purpose seems to be to get you on your feet with your hands raised skywards. It works.

Public Enemy - 'Shut 'Em Down' (Def Jam, 1992)

FWM: This remix gives me chills to this day. Not to slight the Bomb Squad (who executive produced), but this reinterpretation is so much better than the original that it eclipses it entirely. What I love most about the production here is its dense, circular claustrophobia, a nebulous mass of sound that’s almost suffocating. Again, Pete uses those crushing Mountain drums as a foundation for a continuous sax line that weaves in and out of this mix, a filtered ascending bassline, and a strange vocal sample that makes an occasional appearance on the downbeat. The sheer power of this track, combined with Chuck D’s booming vocal, could move an army at full volume. And to top it off, the Soul Brother #1 spits a playful eight bars in the middle of the chaos – just because he can.




Naughty By Nature - 'Hip Hop Hooray' (Tommy Boy, 1993)

FDB: To my mind, Naughty By Nature should be considered the blueprint for the perfect hip hop crossover group, as they managed to successfully craft cuts that had a broad appeal whilst maintaining the gritty aesthetic favoured by true hip hop enthusiasts. 'Hip Hop Hooray' could perhaps be considered the pinnacle of their achievement, its uplifting, anthemic nature certifying it as classic material. In light of this, The Chocolate Boy Wonder’s accomplishment with his reinterpretation of the song is nothing short of astonishing, as I feel it trumps even the original’s bounce and sense of grandeur. The delayed horns are of course an essential feature to this particular beat, but perhaps of greater interest for me when considering Rock’s wider discography is the use of a piano sample in this instance, an instrument that he pretty much left alone on Mecca & The Soul Brother and which only featured spasmodically on The Main Ingredient. The incorporation of Rakim’s line from 'Microphone Fiend' rounds the cut off perfectly, as do Pete Rock’s signature remix adlibs that let you know who’s in charge of the boards just in case you hadn’t guessed it already.

Jeru the Damaja - 'Can't Stop The Prophet' (Payday/ffrr, 1994)

FWM: I hadn’t come across this remix until recently, and after years of internalizing Premier’s original, it admittedly took some warming up to. What eventually sold me was, of all things, the snare that Pete uses here, and the way he decorates the drum track with additional hits to increase the boom-bap factor. A strong jazz flavor (which always complemented Jeru’s delivery well) is prominent as well, as Pete utilizes a descending vibraphone progression for melodic content, and in two octaves for additional variety. The minute and a half of scratching and cutting that closes the track is the sweetest kind of aural candy to these ears.

FDB On Hiatus - NYC Beckons...

Oktober - 'NYC'
taken from Projekt: BUILDING (Freshchest, 2004)

I had hoped to put together another proper post before I made my way to New York via London, but alas, various different things have gotten in the way over the past few days that have prevented me from doing so. Thanks to those who have thrown some suggestions my way: I'm feeling kitted out for a great ten days or so.

Although New York has its fair share of anthems that would feel fitting as a parting shot, Oktober's 'NYC' is possibly a song that has escaped your attention. I originally included it on one of my instrument themed mixes a while ago, but in reality it deserves its own spot such is the strength of the cut. Produced by the Freshchest in house team of JL and Johnny Cock, the jangling guitar track, heavy drums and chorus vocal sample combine to create an athemic musical backdrop for Oktober's verbal digressions on the city that he proudly reps. It's a banger folks.

I'm back on the 18th: hold tight until then and enjoy the summer.

There Can Only Be One King - Sting & 'The Message'

Sting - 'Shape Of My Heart'
taken from Ten Summoner's Tales (A & M, 1993)

Nas - 'The Message'
taken from It Was Written (Columbia, 1996)

Engaging with the music of pop artists can be a dangerous game if you're into hip hop production. You only have to look at the David Bowie/Rod Stewart/Lisa Stansfield inspired dross created by Bad Boy towards the end of the '90s to know how awful these endeavors can be when in the wrong hands. Now Sting might seem like an odd source for some of that good ol' NYC rap, whose more obvious fanbase is likely to consist of fathers around the world who wear socks with their sandals and vehemently tuck their t-shirts into their jeans (don't tell anybody, but I'm actually kind of a closet fan), but with 'The Message', Poke & Tone manage to incorporate his work into one of the most outstanding platforms for Nas's street narratives on his sophomore effort It Was Written.

'Shape Of My Heart' is taken from Sting's fourth solo studio effort Ten Summoner's Tales, which incidentally sold over three million copies in the U.S. alone, and was actually one of the first albums that I ever bought with my own money (W H Smith vouchers actually). The album is so ingrained in my psyche that it makes it difficult for me to gain any sense of detachment from it, but I still have a soft spot for 'Shape Of My Heart'. The wistful guitar refrain and clean rim hits create a pensive atmosphere and Sting's vaguely mystical lyrics, which discuss the 'geometry of chance' and meeting men 'with too many faces' contribute effectively to this reflective vibe. Granted, the harmonica and strings get a little cheesy, and this isn't exactly gonna boost the status of my ghetto pass, but I like it. Blame the forces of nostalgia and overblown sentimentality.

I know Poke & Tone come under fire for their more commercial offerings, but they come correct on this song with the first two bars of 'Shape Of My Heart' working exceptionally well in their newfound context. The keys to the success of this beat are simplicity and savvy production skills: beyond the guitar loop, drum track and bassline there really isn't that much to this song, and yet it feels richly textured, full and warm. I believe the other instrument used at the beginning of the track and during the chorus sections are distorted strings which open out towards the end of the cut, and they add a necessary depth to an otherwise stripped down formula: at the chorus, alongside Kid Capri's Nas-sampling scratches, the result is certifiably dope. Despite little variation throughout the course of the groove, there are little touches that make it special, most notably the evenly spaced bass drum kicks and cymbal crashes that precede some of the key beat drops as well as intermittent placements throughout. Paired up with Nas's mafioso persona, with his lyrical references to rolling dice and 'twenty G bets', the resulting composition is for me the clear standout on the album, one of the only points on It Was Written that feels truly homogeneous.

Whatever you may feel about the Trakmasterz in general, there seems to me little ammunition for criticism of this particular song, and it remains one of only three or four cuts on the album that still really light my fire. Sting may be an unlikely musical partner to hip hop, but this song demonstrates that simply relying on a crate of dusty funk and soul 45s for your inspiration isn't always the answer to slammin' hip hop production. Consider yourself learned.

FDB Hits The Big Apple

Sting - 'Englishman In New York'
taken from Nothing Like The Sun (A & M, 1987)

Following on from the Sting theme above, I'm likely to be rocking this song out when myself and my lovely girlfriend head off for our summer holiday in NYC next week. Here's the deal: I know that the majority of my readership comes from the U.S., and that a lot of you reside on the east coast (and no, I haven't been obsessively pouring over my StatCounter data... much), so what I want are a few suggestions for places to go, and I don't mean the Empire State and all the obvious tourist shit like that, but rather hints from those with insider knowledge. So, if you know of any great record shops, clubs, bars, restaurants, trainer (yes, that's sneakers) shops, places of Hip Hopping significance or anything else of interest that would pass your average tourist doing the rounds in Manhattan by, then I would really appreciate a little information. I've actually been to New York a few times before, but always with family, so although I know the city relatively well, I've never really had the chance to take it on under my own steam. I'm particularly interested in any suggestions for Brooklyn, a suburb which I've only scratched the surface of in the past. Any information would be greatly appreciated: thanks in advance.