The Low End Theory

 

At the beginning of the 90's, more and more new sounds came over from the other side of the Atlantic. Bands like Beastie Boys, De La Soul or Jungle Brothers used to sample fragments of songs and included them into their hip hop sound. It seemed like any other music is gone and this kind of sound will rule the future. Glad that it didn't happened in this way but this genre developed well and still got it's corner in music. For me New York's A Tribe Called Quest were those who made an outstanding album with The Low End Theory back in 1991. Their trademarks are a massive bass and a laid-back jazzy atmosphere with steady grooves. Their masterpiece is now re-released and still worth to be listened from time to time.

A Tribe Called Quest - Excursion

A Tribe Called Quest - Check The Rhime

A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario

Nostalgic Samples

 

Last week youtube recommended a video I have really forgotten. Back in 1997 Janet Jackson released Got 'til It's Gone with a massive support by A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip. I never have been a huge fan of Jackson but this song is a masterpiece not only because she used a sample of Joni Mitchel's Big Yellow Taxi that worked very well in a hip-hop and jazzy context. In these days music videos very very important and I know less videos that has this kind of attitude of a peaceful black community. Maybe it will be the start of a new series

16 From 2016 13/16

 

 

 

I was thinking about this list for a couple of weeks before I went to Sri Lanka. Therefore I updated the music on my mobile phone. One of the newer records I copied on the SD Card was the latest release by A Tribe Called Quest. We Got It From Here ... Thank You 4 Your Service I listened often since then. It is not only a nostalgia trip listening to their Album because I followed them during the last years as one of the few HipHop artists. It is more a giant statement on the end of their career. It's also a tribute to the everyman genius of Phife, a widescreen look at the record-making skills of Q-Tip, and most importantly, it's a pure, undiluted, joyous thrill to have the Tribe back and still sounding this vital (so I read somewhere and I have to agree). They still have the best Statements (except  Kate Tempest in another way), flows and samples and their Songs crawled into my ears and I often can't get them out of my mind. If there is only one record to buy in this genre it should be this one.

 

 

 

 



Pain

Never thought to hear something new by De La Soul. They brought a new kind of HipHop to our ears back in the late 80's. Together with bands like Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest they were the spearhead of soul-influenced rap. This is a track from their upcoming album. And it has a real good bass-line and a steady flow. This could probably be a summer favourite for many.

Inflammable Material - First Records That Impressed Me Much # 10

Fine Malt Lyrics by House Of Pain was released in 1992 and it was a milestone in Rap-music. In this time there were several bands on the scene doing the same things like for an example Body Count of in a different way Gang Starr or A Tribe Called Quest. New was that now three white guys appeared doing the stuff black people thought it was their very own thing. House Of Pain stepped into the arena shouting their rhymes to them. Of course, it was only an attitude but from then on white rappers were part of the scene. I got aware of this record by their hit-single Jump Around with their sample of a song by Junior Walker. It is still a great song but there were more tracks on the album than this single which are meanwhile also classic songs. Maybe the main thing that impressed me was that they combined heavy guitar riffs, Irish attitude (not only to show a gangster style) with samples by soul and blues artists. Not that I listen too often to it but when I put this record on my turntable I can listen to it from start to the end. And the fascination didn't get lost during the years.

House Of Pain - Jump Around
House Of Pain - Put Your Head Out
House Of Pain - Top O' The Morning To Ya
House Of Pain - Shamrocks and Shenenigans
House Of Pain - Danny Boy, Danny Boy
House Of Pain - Come And Get Some Of This