(idm) Re: Sir Menelik, Doc Oc, Freaky hip-hop

From Rodney Perkins
Sent Wed, Feb 25th 1998, 14:22

I didn't really get into hip-hop until I heard Dr. Octagon. That opened up
the door for me. I think the Automator is good and I think the instrumental
mixes come off really well. The Q-Bert scratching is what sends the backing
tracks off into space.

 I'm kind of confused by Company Flow. On the "8 Steps EP, the backing
tracks on two of the cuts seem really spastic. On these cuts, I like the
instrumentals better than the originals. "Blind" is amazing, though. I
guess when Sir Menelik starts dropping "amen" breaks, I really will be
confused :)


Related side-note: I saw the X-ecutioners earlier this month and there were
local DJs spinning wax between sets. They were playing Mos-Def,
Hieroglyphics, etc. and everybody was jumping up and down. Then someone put
on the Prince Paul remix of "Blue Flowers" and people just kind of froze. I
exaggerate but you get the point. Mr. Gerbik is in the house.

>Yeah, I think the hip-hop heads are into it, after all Kool Keith does
>have a pretty strong background with Ultramagnetic MCs (now reformed)
>and everything (even if he is down with the Prodigy and vice versa).
>Can't speak for Menelik, 'cos I haven't heard any, but hoping to pick
>something up when cash allows. I haven't got my ear to the ground as far
>the hip-hop scene is concerned, but I know I appreciate good lyrical
>skill that makes the fairly static hip-hop beats come alive, and of
>course vice versa. Both at once is pure bliss, and this is the stuff I
>look out for.
>
>Dr. Octagon has skills and I don't agree with the person who was dissing
>him. I guess his style isn't for everyone, but he makes me laugh. I
>don't think Automator's beats are totally amazing, and IMO they wouldn't
>be that much with Keith. I like crafted lyrics that are nice and off the
>wall. Same goes for Co-Flow on that count - I love Funcrusher Plus
>although that's all I've heard, but this stuff really connects. That's
>what I love about good hip-hop just the way the language is pushed to
>the front, and that's why the r&b stuff is so lame. Usually, the sparser
>the production better, for me anyway. It's all about experimenting
>within the form with both beats and lyrics. And the r&b heads should
>remember that you can have a chorus without singing...
>
>gb.
>--
>/TheW   i  http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/lwtcdi/all/4-16.htm
>f   o L D
>o dlr WTC  "The Truth About 'Choose Your Own Adventure' Novels"


Rodney Perkins
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