Whoridas – Shot Callin’ Big Ballin’



Another gem from the hidden history of bay hiphop…

The degeneration of turntablism

I happened to catch some youtube-clips of Roc Raida these weeks, realizing what a great artist the world has lost. I did not know he was responsible for the scratches on Tres Leches (one of my favorites of Pun’s masterpiece). Anyway, together with DJ Craze he’s one of the more enjoyable turntablists to watch. But I can’t forget about these two guys. Just watch Mike going completely wingnuts on that Natural Born Killaz instrumental. Like the guy in the comments says, “the single best routine ever done by any DJ, ever”.

So with my mouth still watering I checked out last years DMC finals to see how these new generation is doing it, which is awfully, mostly. No real musicianship, no flavor, no soul, and pre-pressed vinyl (which is like cheating, yeah?). It’s just no fun watching this stuff anymore, which has to do something with a technical decline in musical history: two turntables do not excite very much these days. It’s not like there are an abundance of thrilling garage rock groups or acid house producers around now, either. Or are there? Each technique has its day is all I’m saying.

DJ’s Mista B & B.Cause – Record Haterz

Do you, like me, have a permanent place for Doggystyle in your Top 5 Rap Albums Of All Time? Then this mix here is pure gold.

It’s same sound, but I’ve heard close to none of these tracks before. The bay, like the south, is something to be explored for ex-New-York-talibans like me. Which is what I’m doing these days, listening to UGK, Marcus, Playboy Tre, Too Short, Devin The Dude, E-40, Z-Ro (who quickly has become one of my favorite lyricists), K-Rino, DJ Screw, Lil B, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Scarface, as much I can. There’s just too much of it… and the midwest and everywhere else outside of New York is pushing the same sound (see Freddie Gibbs).

The Jacka – The Jack Artist

More Crime (Barney) was one of the great standout tracks on Cormega’s Legal Hustle compilation. Listening through The Jack Artist, it’s clear that The Jacka got enough greatness to fill up a full length. He continues to lay down his raps with the understated, down to earth, reflective veteran confidence we learned to love on More Crime. And just like on that track the production is laidback and dreamy (sometimes even trippy; maybe that’s a Bay Area thing), built from the ground up with soul-samples that are treated with the attention and innovative spirit we know from a Ghostface record.

Feel This Clip displays a more hostile G-Funk, all pitched, psychotic Starchild raps and anger management synthesizers. You must balance the force. But when that fades into F@#k With the Mob we’re reminded a problem with one too many of these modern rap albums: too many guest raps.

Still, The Jack Artist is one of the more interesting rap albums of recent times.