With Computers becoming more common, so is Hip Hop.
As a culture, Hip Hop has always been a product of technology. From turn-tableism to modern PC sequencers, Hip Hop’s always manifested from whatever current technologies are available. Depending on how you view it, this could be a good or bad thing. However, with the growth of technology becoming more apparent, has the accessibility turned Hip Hop into a burdened culture through it’s up rise of anyone-can-do-it rap artists and producers? Or has it helped Hip Hop in bringing it to a wider scale?
The originators of Hip Hop - or even heads who have been listening long enough - that Hip Hop started from “two turn tables and a mic”. This has been the goto quote for getting the message across that this culture started from few things, and blossomed into a multi-billion dollar industry. Even though that notion rings true, Hip Hop still started with the use of technology. What occured (if you haven’t already read here) was Bronx native, DJ Kool Herc started parties using two-turntables and a microphone; what set this apart as apposed to the normal block parties was Hercs use of “The Breaks”. What are those you ask? They were segments in a record that didn’t have the singer on them, these segments had much more percussion — they were considered the most danceable.
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Posted by LostMoniker on November 12th, 2008 :: Filed under
Through The Telescope: Hip Hop and SocietyTags ::
cell phone,
classic hip hop,
commercialization,
Digital Age,
digital downloads,
Information Age,
iPod,
new hip hop,
soundclick,
world hip hop,
youtube
Willie Evans Jr. performing live!
The debut album by producer turned rapper Willie Evans Jr., was one of 2007’s best albums. Now, I know I’m late reviewing this album in terms of release date, despite this I know people have not heard of Communication or the Willie Evans for that matter, so I felt justified - and compelled - to review this wonderful album. Willie Evans Jr is a member of underground rap group The A.B.s and more recently has had credits on The Perceptionist’s debut album Black Dialogue, producing two of the beats. So in this always-growing Underground Hip Hop scene what sets Willie Evans Jr apart from others? Willie is an all in one rap artist, in other words he produces his own beats (with the exception of Slow Adrenaline) and emcees. Now while this doesn’t sound incredibly unique amongst the vast array of combo-artists like so, Willie Evans is a step above the rest in terms of production; with his lyricism being even more impressive.
What’s so unique about Willie Evans Jr to me, is that his approach to lyricism feels abstract yet coherent. At face value, you may feel he’s speaking all over the place but once you delve a bit deeper it really begins to make sense. Here’s an excerpt from the albums opening song Slow Adrenaline: “The apple in my eye, met her at an educate grind, later stated that the apple had a worm, another nigga had a turn, apple seeds in his eye lids”. His use of wordplay and metaphors is amazing, and there are more then a handful of incredible lines like the one quoted above throughout this album.
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Posted by LostMoniker on November 3rd, 2008 :: Filed under
Out Of The Cage: Album ReviewsTags ::
2007,
communication,
jacksonville pt. 2,
rawkus,
slow adrenaline,
willie evans jr.,
work it out
