the unscene

Words – Deviant

Right. I guess I gotta clarify. MynameisjOhn is a mate. We’ve been down for over a decade now, meeting one fateful debauched evening when he was still a rapper with cult Cork hip-hop crew Metabolix (you didn’t know? He keeps it quiet. He was dope tho…anyway…).

So this is a little weird. Or at least could have been. After initial awkwardness in front of the dictaphone I couldn’t shut him up.

That’s John. He talks too much. Says shit like…

“Richard Anton Wilson is a massive influence, more so than any band or music…. The last EP was me learning about quantum physics, that was probably the “Max Planck” EP. This one is probably more the “philosophy” EP!”

….see? Deep with it. Not content to make by-the-numbers bangers he imbues his music with a deep sense of self, his personality pervading all facets of both his production and DJ work. When debut EP,”There Is A Policeman..”, arrived last year we all took a step back. A new voice had arrived in beat-making, offering a fresh look at contemporary electronic production from a hip-hop perspective. Many of you will have heard “Decimals Are Most Fly”, the standout track from the first EP and soundtrack to many a lairy evening on the west coast. It quickly attained a “big tune” status among many of us. Was he surprised at this?

“I like that track and as soon as I had chopped up Black Thought doing that rap I knew that was cool…..but that was literally the very early stages of getting to grips with music. It was just luck that there was nothing particularly out of key!”

Typically self-effacing, you wouldn’t think this is the same man that thrashes about like an autistic jack-in-the-box when he performs, pouring himself wholeheartedly into the moment. He bloody enjoys himself when he plays out. And on his own in his gaff too.

“I’d be dancing around in my room making music or having a mix. I have to stress I’d be going BONKERS to the tunes, I’m trying to forget people are there, so it’s like a replication of me in my bedroom.”

John’s sets are indeed rowdy affairs, a hybrid of traditional DJ manipulations and software allowances, rough and ready yet technically superior to many of his peers. The turntable is key. I wonder if he’s ever tempted to expand equipment-wise…

“I’ve no intention of changing it up for the moment. The more equipment that you buy it’s just more stuff to learn, why not work on your own particular art with what you have and really get to grips with it.”

This is how the EP was created. Working within the confines of turntable and mixer, applying this nous to Serato and digital editing, piece by piece, note by note, the oft-referenced “aural collage”…

“If you’re into hip-hop and beats you can’t avoid the collage thing. When I made mixtapes at 11/12 the cover collage was as important as anything else.”

It is this aesthetic that propels the MynameisjOhn narrative, firmly rooted in hip-hop’s norms and idiosyncracies while existing in a sphere that transcends genre.

“This aesthetic develops BECAUSE of hip-hop. I heard the same snare in a Tribe record and a Black Sheep record, and though I didn’t really know what they were doing or how they did it it I knew it was the same drums….I love the cross referencing in hip-hop, it makes you look at music in a bigger sense.”

As for being part of a hip-hop “scene”?

“Everyone so far seems to have called it “hip-hop”, I’m fine with that. It doesn’t really matter. People call Redneck Manifesto post rock or math rock or whatever, are they fuck! They’re as hip-hop as anything else.”

“Genres are something that belong with record labels and HMV.”

Indeed. One is as likely to hear Radiohead or Vashti Bunyan in a MynameisjOhn set as you are Wu-Tang or Hudson Mohawke. It is precisely this refusal to pander to genre that appeals to so many. He creates an atmosphere that anyone into good music should be able to enjoy on some level, whether you’re a deep beat afficionado or just out for a boogie and the possibility of the hard shift. John has a deep affinity with live music, and this feeds directly into his live performances.

“I’m gone to way more live music shows in my life than clubs. I’m quite aware of the energy of that in my own sets. You can never have quite the same impact and that’s something I’m looking into further. My particular ideal live situation would probably involve 14/15 people…..as many strings as you can fit in there, and definitely 2 drummers….”

We’re not springing for the Philharmonic this time. But don’t put it past him.

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MynameisjOhn plays The Unscene, upstairs in Bakers Bar, March 2nd. With support from Mikey Fingers, Laminator and Deviant. Trevor Rockliffe in Bakers Club and Baramus in the Wicked Chicken. 10 euros. Holla.

The Unscene /// Party #3

mynameisjOhn (“The Thinker & The Prover” EP launch)
Deviant
Laminator

Beats, cuts, raps and all that good shit.

9.00pm, March 2nd 2012, Bakers Bar, Limerick.

Really pleased to announce this one. Playing alongside two of my longtime buds and my favourite fiens to play records with.

mynameisjOhn shall be dropping bombs from his latest opus “The Thinker & The Prover” which I like to listen to in my jeep on the way to mass. John keeps the ruckus in his pocket and brings it with him to all drinking establishments. No po-face allowed. There’ll be a little article and interview with John up in the next few days.

Laminator is a boss. Serious. Almost single-handedly keeping the wesht resonating with boom baps and bleeps. Seen this fien tear places apart on several occasions. Nothing fancy, no bullshit, no ego. Just a great ear for beat driven music. And gully raps.

See ye there.

Deviant.

So. This was the shit.
Titles with (*) are free downloads.

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Album of the Year

Danny Brown – XXX (*)

No other LP in 2011 grabbed me as much as this shit. It’s a monster.
I tried to write a few words about why. Four paragraphs in and I hadn’t even scratched the surface.

Fuck it, it’s a free download. Hear for yourself.

Danny Brown – XXX (Download)

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Other releases of note….

Kendrick Lamarr – Section 80

Damn I love this shit, mad poppy but I dunno, does the trick. Some amazing lyrics in there. Production is more out there than it appears at first listen too, one for the headphones.

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Quelle Chris – Shotgun & Sleek Rifle

Dude got a deadly voice and makes sick beats. That’s alright by me. Also features Roc Marciano and Danny Brown on the same track. Ridiculous.

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J|||||M – Vice Grip EP (*)

Proper fucking bonkers drum machine gangsta shit. Intense.

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Random Axe – Random Axe

When “The Hex” leaked I nearly lost my shit. The LP itself is kinda disappointing but sure you’ll have that with supergroups.

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Willie Evans Jr. – Introducin’

Slipped under my radar for a bit. Really strong debut from this rapper/producer, dusty beats, a rolling flow and a creamy voice, can’t fuck with that shit really. Looking forward to his next move.

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ASAP Rocky – LiveLoveASAP (*)

Had this in the headphones for months. Sometimes the vacuosness gets a bit much but damn that shit is some dreamy syrup.

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Lethal dialect – LD50

If ASAP is the new new shit then LD is the new old shit. Impossible to write about without saying “gritty”. A proper album, the dusty production adds weight to an already substantial lyric content. Dense. Not since Ri-Ra fucked our shit up all those years ago has any Irish rapper raised the game so much.

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Knxwledge – Klouds

Loads of people I know wouldn’t called this hip-hop. They are wrong.
Knocking drums, chopped up jazz and soul chords. RZA in space with musical nous.

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Elzhi – Elmatic (*)

Fucking stupid idea. It worked tho.

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Death Grips – Ex-military (*)

Not a great LP. But a necessary one. Demented and hard to listen to. Possibly not even worth it. The big tune is “Guillotine”, the soundtrack to many a mosh last year.

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Kidkanevil – Tokyorkshire Research Inc. (*)

Proper sick little beat tape from this fien. It’s a tribute to Raymond Scott of “Lightworks”/Dilla fame, I reckon he would approve. Crunchy psychedelia.

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Paul White – Rapping With Paul White

Probably not as good as the sum of it’s parts, nonetheless it dominated many playlists and featured undervalued Brit rapper Tranqill on a belter. On a technical note it may the most oddly mixed rap LP ever. Which is cool by me. Others weren’t so sure.

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Melodica Deathship – Doom Your Cities Doom Your Towns (*)

So, the LP was released in 2010 but the digital only came out in 2011. Anyway, the finest alt hip-hop this island has ever produced. One for rainy nights sucking on mead by the fire.

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SpaceGhostPurp – Blvcklvnd Rvd (*)

Really silly. Quite dope when it wants to be tho. “My Hood” is one of my tunes of the year.

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Naive Machine – Basket Beats Tape Vol. 2 (*)

Vol. 1 was belting oh so daft. Vol. 2 is more of the same. Saturday night with a gallon of poppers and some girl with dreads in hippy pants shaking her tits in your face.

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SertOne – Versions

Jeez we all fawned over this fien last year. Super modern, lush, digital hip-hop shit. My one wish is that he’d make more bangers. I mean seriously, check out that Crystal Castles remix. Uglyface.

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Kaimbr & Kev Brown – Alexander Green

Another themed release, this time made entirely out of Al Green samples. A buttery, buttery LP, on the vocals and the beats. And Sean Born is one of the guests. That gets you a +1 in my book.

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AG & Ray West – Danksgiving (*)

Where the fuck this came from I dunno. A fine marriage of MC and producer, AG sounds dope on the off-kilter loops concocted by Ray West. Not what I was expecting by a long shot and much better for it.

No streams of this in either audio or video so here’s the link to the free D/L

http://www.redapples45.com/#!/mixtape/danksgiving
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Blu – Jesus EP

Baffling really. And I do like being baffled. He might be taking the piss outta me though. Fuck it.

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As far as I can make out that’s probably it really. As for the stand out tunes of the year, you’ll have to wait til the next Unscene podcast for that juice.

The Unscene – Party #2

Spekulativ Fiktion w/ DJ Jus Me (Live)
Mikey Fingers (Live)
DJs Deviant & Teknique

November 25th, Bakers Bar (as part of the Stay-at-Home weekend)

Details to follow.

An occasional series where I shed some light on some slightly lesser-known hip-hop heads, old and new. Nothing too in depth, just highlighting some music that I feel doesn’t get enough love. I didn’t spend 15 years in my bedroom so I could keep all this shit to myself – Deviant.

Paul S and DJ Ivory are DJs and producers from Nottingham.
They bloody love hip-hop.

Fiens released 5 volumes of the Heavy Bronx series of 12″s, later compiled for the Heavy Bronx Experience CD, each one an ode to clattering drums, thunking low end, thuggish street tales and a gutter eye view of society. Their long awaited LP, The Gas, features Roc Marciano, Boss Money Gangsters, Smiley Da Ghetto Child and Milano among other ghetto vets and is as grimy a trip to BoomBapVille as it comes in the 21st century.

A heartfelt love-letter to hip-hop, written in blood on slate pulled from the Patterson Projects.

It’s not for everyone.
Hoods up.
Mind your head.

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P – Brothers – 3 Kings ft. Cappo, Scorzayzee, Mr. 45 – may be the most ignorant combination of drums and bass in the history of recorded music.

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Scorzayzee -Great Britain – as fine a rap song as any to ever come out of the UK.

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P Brothers ft. Roc Marciano – Outta Control – the song that first brought the phenom that is Marciano into my life. Monster.

Extra credit…..
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The P Brothers Zulu Beat mix is also one of THE great DJ mixes in hip-hop history. No exaggeration. Cop it however you can.

P Brothers – Zulu Beat (Discogs)

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Perhaps now best known for bizarrely sending himself up in Shane Meadows flick “Le Donk”, Scorz was one of the dopest to ever do it on the UK side. I’m particularly partial to these verses. On the youth club tip in 2002. Sick.

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Oh shit. Nearly forgot this one. Produced by the AKAI Professionals (which as far as I’m aware is the P Brothers and Cappo), taken from Cappo’s Spaz The World LP on Zebra Traffic in 2003. I’d have posted the vocal version but it aint on YouTube so all you get is the buttery, buttery instrumental. The LP is also well worth a look and, sadly, is one I see in second-hand bins all the time. Pick it up.

Words by Deviant.

So. Here we are. 2011. They tell us hip-hop is dead. All the rappers are busy with acapella rap battles. The producers aren’t speaking to the rappers, they don’t need to, the world has embraced the producer as the star. The DJs are…..nonexistent? The music is in a battle for its very soul, the double time hats and low slung drawl of Weezy vs the lyrical gymnastics and boombox breaks of Action Bronson. Weezy fans don’t know what real hip-hop is, Bronson fans are living in the past, apeing a golden age many of them weren’t even around for.

As for breaking and graffiti? The association remains but the ties are fraught. Forward thinking breakers are denounced as dance-school fags. Graf writers who try to plough a new furrow go straight to the art dealers.

Well. That’s what they say. I don’t know who they are. But they’re awfully negative.

If you can’t see the connection between this…..

….and this….

….then you may be a cunt.

Other shitehawkery I’ve heard recently…..

“I like my rappers to be lyrical” Ugh. This gets you the gas-face. Say it right, “I like rappers who discuss complicated themes of politics and sociology in a mid-nineties flow with clever wordplay and reasonably complex (but not faggy – fuck Anticon – no homo) rhyme schemes in a way that embodies the underclass and street life.”

“Fuck synthesizers. That’s not hip-hop” Gas face eile.

This has happened before. Many of the pioneers so deified by accepted hip-hop history were horrified as the music slowed down over the years, from the frantic breakbeats of….

…to the sullen, hoods up, weeded out styles of….

Goons were freaked when NWA dropped. The gun-slinging swagger of Biggie and Tupac followed, anathema to the founding fathers of rap music, many of whom wished to preach a message of peace and tolerance, seeing rap as a way out of gang culture, not a medium to glorify it. (Yeah, I realise G Rap was there “first” but…..stop being such a pedant.)

Fast forward less than a decade and hip-hop died all over again. Or was resurrected. It may have been Timbaland’s fault. Or Mannie Fresh. Either way the south took over and motherfuckers were up in arms.

The basic building block of hip-hop, the 12″ record, is fucked. The majority of rap shit doesn’t get a vinyl release anymore.

Well boo fucking hoo.

They don’t make Edison wax cylinders anymore either.

Anyway.

To summarise.

It’s not how it used to be. No fucking shit. Join the party.

I done made a mix in the spirit of this rant. Or maybe I made this rant in the spirit of this mix. I can’t remember.

Streaming below or head to Soundcloud to download. Blah de blah.

Tracklist.

Meyhem Lauren, Action Bronson, AG Da Coroner – Ray Lewis
P Brothers ft. Roc Marciano – Outta Control
Ski Beatz ft. Tabi Bonnay – Not Like Me
Goodie Mob – Cell Therapy (instrumental)
Hard Knocks – Ghetto Love
E-40 – Rick Rock Horns
Juggaknots – Clear Blue Skies
Jake One ft. Blueprint – Scared
Oddisee/Big Pun/East Flatbush Project – Closed After Dark/Aint a Killer/Tried By 12
RZA – Flying Birds
STS – STS Is Gold
Action Bronson – Shiraz
Lord Finesse ft. Big L – Yes You May (Remix)
Lewis Parker – Communications
Non Phixion – Black Helicopters
Jay Rock – Code Red
DJ Rapid Ric – Less Than 3 (Remix)
Lil Wayne ft Bun B, Nas, Shyne & Busta Rhymes – Outro/Bill Gates
MellowHype – Fuck The Police
Ol’ Dirty Bastard – I Can’t Wait

Classic boom bap and contemporary wonky beats.
Dusty vinyl and digital clack-a-lack.
DJs.
MCs.
Producers.

From….
Wu-Tang to Odd Future.
Weezy to Dilla.
Schoolly D to Jay Elec.
Hudmo to Goodie Mob.

We got it covered.

Party #1 – October 28th – Baker Place, Limerick City, Eire.

Melted Music Showcase with…
SertOne (Live)
Sketch Nine & Pro-P (Live)

DJs Laminator & Deviant

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Open slots available every night for up-and-coming hip-hop artists.
Contact unscenelimerick@gmail.com