IamHipHop wrote:definitely check these two tracks which are kind of a part one and two:
"Alphabetic Aerobics- The Cut Chemist 2 1/2 minute workout"
&
"Chemical Calesthenics"
Both by Blackalicious
'K I got 'em both now. They're really smart, I mean clever, I mean versatile, really versatile. The Chemical Calisthenics one is a bit too frantic just to give a regular spin tho, for my taste, more like to listen to in awe once or twice. But I like Alphabetic Aerobics a lot better, kinda old school, really smart too but also just funky. Cool.
Craven de Kere wrote:Planet Hemp: Dig Dig Dig
Planet Hemp: Legalize Já
Those I got a while ago too, but I dont like em so well, its not my style really. Interesting tho, and the Dig Dig Dig one is nice & hefty. If you like them a lot, Craven, then you'll really dig this Dutch act called the Urban Dance Squad. They had some success in the States too I think, late 80s/early 90s, so perhaps some of their stuff can be found back on p2p. They did a lot of this highly energated crossover stuff, mixing hip-hop with a more punky, metal-like sound or with the Fishbone / Spearhead kind of funk.
They had two CDs back then that were big, first "Mental Floss for the Globe", which had a more funky hip-hop feel about it, and then "Life 'n' Perspectives of a Genuine Crossover", which was a lot tougher, rockier still. Looked those up on Amazon and one American reviewer writes,
"Grossly overlooked, this band is the source of pretty much every musical style that blends r&b, soul and hip hop with rock or metal influences. From Korn to Sugar Ray, from RATM to Roots, from Beck to Kid Rock, these guys beat them all to this sound by about 3 to 8 years. [..] "Fast Lane" out-smacks Prodigy" (More reviews and samples
here for Mental Floss.. and
here for Life 'n' Perspectives)
My own favourite track remains Struggle for Jive, which was a B-side to one of their singles but still is quite well known (a live version apparently is on the CD reissue), so perhaps you can find it back.
(Hey - I was just looking up Spearhead on the net, I never knew that Michael Franti had been the guy in the Beatnigs and the Disposable Heroes of HipHoprisy too. Knew all three bands, just never connected them!)