I saw Shawn perform as Pleasurehorse a while back and thought he was awesome. Hoppin’ & boppin’ all over a mess of drum-machines, samplers, effects peddles, I don’t even know what was in that electrical pile to tell the truth. But he was holding a flash light in his teeth and goin’ nuts playin’ beeps, bloops & beats, noisy shit you could bop your head to. This cd however has none of that. It’s like the sound his electronic set up might make with out him pounding on it. Something like trying to tune your radio to an outer space station that you can’t find. That’s the thing with Noise; I either love it or hate it. I fast forwarded through the whole cd looking for some sounds other than bzzzzzzzz or eeeeeee. There was no crunk to be found. Then I tap danced all over it like that dude from Showtime at the Apollo. I can dig records that are pure Noise but the compact digital format really strips the soul from it. I just read Shawn’s description of this, which is “noise beneath noise”, so this intentionally stripped down. I live in a constant barrage of noise (sometimes referred to as New York City) that probably drowned out any nuances I might have heard on this cd.

Shawn Greenlee

“In a time when we as people often overlook what is crucial in regards to our survival as a Global community, I found it critical to create a piece of work that would provoke thought and dialogue. I have an undying love for hip hop as a culture and an art form and have used it as a tool to open people�s minds and a way to voice some of my opinions.

All you have to do is watch the news, read the papers, look outside your window or listen to what is going on around you and you will see how much work needs to be done to heal this fucked up world we live in. War, drugs, poverty, crime, disease, divorce, abuse and depression are just some of what we are faced with everyday. How can we overcome these obstacles when we are so concerned with how we pay our rent, and feed our families?

I challenge myself and to take of yourself. In order to create positive change in this world you have to be okay. If you are okay that is less work someone else has to do. Identify what your issues are and do something about it. This is the way we begin to rise up.

I thank you for the purchase of this album and hop you will encourage someone else to do the same. This is how I eat. I will continue to be my voice and the voice of the people, all people! Fuck racism and those who think being racist will ever change anything. There are those who are oppressed and there are those who oppress. We as a people of all races, creeds, religions, genders and colors when united will create a real revolution and put an end to oppression!” – Sabac Red’s artist statement (inside the cover of his album).

Wow. I think all rappers should put artist statements on their albums. Like “I believe violence, misogyny, selling drugs and conspicuous consumption are the key the to the future of our hip-hop nation!” I’m putting that one out there for all you major label players & industry rappers in the game. Use it free of charge. Imagine if the “Let’s Get Free” album by Dead Prez was produced by NECRO. That’s what this sounds like. Go cop it and use it as a blueprint for the next hip-hop record you record. Gangsta shit is dead. G-Unit & the Bush administration have taken it to the limit and driven it into the ground. Let’s take it back to the days of P.E. and B.D.P., the 20-year cycle is here. It’s time to start building in the year Cipher God!

Psycho-Logical Records

Sabac Red

This has an awesome cover. It’s a throwback of a 70’s exploitation movie poster. There’s a drawing of guy in a leather bondage mask with a microphone cord in his hands strangling a victim so hard that one of his eyeballs has popped completely out of his head. I don’t why, but the popped out / hanging eyeball has always been one of my favorite images. Ever since I was kid. Maybe it’s because I’m blind in one eye. Hmmm… better get back to NECRO, NECRO wouldn’t like reading a NECRO review that wasn’t about NECRO. This album is produced by NECRO and features NECRO on 14 of the 17 tracks. On the back cover it says, “Pick up NECRO’s brand new porno movie “Sexy Sluts” In stores now!” Oh shit, there’s more on the front cover I wanted to tell you about, the drawing of a dude with an afro and a smiley face button on his vest bashing in someone’s head with a boom-box… awesome. BONE CRUSHING, TERROR, SPINE-TINGLING, CHILLS! NECRO presents BRUTALITY PART 1 featuring NECRO, ILL BILL, GORETEX, MR. HYDE in BLOOD-CURDLING COLOR SOUND says the cover. That pretty much says it all. Oh yeah, NECRO is an ill rapper and one of the best producers in the game. I have yet to see his porno directing skills.

http://necrohiphop.com/

This compilation is a great introduction to the Boot Camp Clik for the unfamilar and a treasure for the true souljahs who have been down from day one. The B.C.C. are like a lesser known Wu-Tang Clan, a super group spawned from the early 90’s underground hip hop scene. From grimy streets of Brooknam, they rep the real raw shit. No frills, two turntables and mic hip hop. Peep over 32 videos including classics like: Black Moon’s “Who Got the Props”, “How Many Mc’s”, “I got U Opin”, “Buck ‘em Down”, Smif-N-Wessun’s “Bucktown”, “Let’s Get it On”, “Sound Bwoy Burial”, Fab 5’s “Leflah”, Heltah Skeltah’s “Operation Lockdown”, O.G.C.’s “No Fear”, and more. These aren’t your typical rap video’s either. You’ll find no groupies pourin’ Dom P by the pool, no fake dancers and no bling bling. They’re low budget, creative and mad real. They’re shot in project hallways and parks after dark, the places where hip hop was born.

This DVD is the complete music video catalog of the B.C.C.
Over 2 hours! available from www.duckdown.com

Timz and hood chek. Aight time to write. Why am I reviewing a record that came out 12 years ago? Hip-hop has changed a lot since ‘95, so this review is for da likkle youth man dem. From dusk to dawn this album defines the meaning of “keeping it real”. Tek & Steele’s hardcore storytellin’ and the Beatminerz rugged, yet smooth production make Da Shinin’ a flawless record. Mind-blowing bass lines, bangin’ drums and spooky samples that’ll have your stereo smokin’. Boot Camp Clik! It smells like Bob Marley in here…

Peep some wise words from Steele on the classic anthem Bucktown:

Enter the cipher… withcha lighter
El’s are ready, prepare for another all nighter
But keep watch for the cops cuz they rock glocks
Comin’ on the block tryin’ to rock knots
Pigs be actin’ like they bigga than us niggaz from da streets
Cuz we stalk mad deep and them walk beats
I guess they hold a grudge cuz i won’t budge
Playin’ tough, starin’ down da judge with my hand’s cuffed
Standing there with my nappy hair and my dirty gear, awww yeah
Now i’m up outta here
Pigs look me up and down with a frown
Is it cuz i’m brown or is it cuz i’m from Bucktown?

Check a verse with Tek on the same track:

Another murderer, just another prankster
Rude boy dead ’cause he thought he was a gangsta
Tried ta live da life of a hood from the streets
Test da wrong dread, now he�s in eternal sleep
Mr. ripper I lurk in da stuy
Twist up da ganja when I wanna get high
With my breaddren, a boodah session
Learn ya lesson
Or get blasted by Mr. Smif or Mr. Wessun

This album put Boot Camp on the map with support from Buckshot (Black Moon), Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C. (Originoo Gunn Clappaz). Straight from the underground. With thunder sound. Number one question: Yo, how can I be down? Well, the answer is buy this record and listen to it everyday for the next twelve years. And that boys and girls is your first lesson in keeping it real.

Find out more about the Boot Camp Clik at www.duckdown.com

Have you ever heard trash talk? I mean�have you ever really listened to your garbage? Look at all your stuff. Trash. Why do we have it and why is it here? The answer may be found in your U2 iPod, in the Russian Nintendo video bootleg file. Sorry, let me start again. Do you want a snack…some chips? Some wedges? We have along way to go in this review…DVDly speaking. Sorry, we’re out of sauce enablers. Anyways, where was I? Oh yes…trash talking. Trash poses the question:
“What is the new shape in entertainment? What is the new entertainment shape?” Hmmm… Where’s Tux Dog? He’s a detective, I’m sure he could find the answer. I can’t find him anywhere. Hello? What?? Google’s been hacked?!?…Better ask Jeeves. Hmmmmm, let’s see…click…click…click. Hey Raphe! Have you been using your 2megabit magic memory stick in my USB port? Something’s wrong here. Nuclear winter wrong… What? You think it’s broke? You think the internets broke? No, you don’t have to hit save when you’re done using the internet. Just close your eyes and make believe… and you can be at Fort Thunder! Paper Rad hasn’t turned on anything that wasn’t already off.

I’ve watched this DVD about 40 times. I show it to everyone I know. I bought a copy of it for my two-year-old niece. I encourage you to do the same. And please…don’t just listen to your trash… hear what it is saying. Some galleries don’t even have walls!!!

Get Paper Rad’s Trash Talking DVD at http://loadrecords.com/bands/paperrad.html for $16 and visit paperrad.org for free

I’ll let this one speak for itself: “Are you getting tired of tedious routines? Do you want to make more money doing less work? Pyramid $keem blends modern dirty south rap with the glib vocabulary and vernacular of a multi-level con artist, introducing a set of self-help guidelines in the form of Todd Kessler’s TKO Method.”

It’s rap. It’s funny. I don’t like it…I love it!

check it out: www.extraordinairesmusic.com
punk rock payroll(2006)

For fans of true hip hop “Sunglasses Is a Must” IS a must! If you no nothing about hip hop you should especially see this biopic. Hip-hop consists of 4 basic elements. This takes a look at the second element, the DJ. Through the eyes of a young master you enter the world of turntablism. With money he received from his bar mitzvah, A-trak bought his first turntables at the age of 13. By the age of 15 he’d won three international DJ championships. The movie takes you on a journey from his humble beginnings in Canada through the fascinating battle era of the 90’s, to his current global journeys with rap superstar Kanye West. This documentary shows hip-hop at it’s finest: skillful, competitive and fun. A-trak’s scratching, beat-juggling, and composing on the wheels of steel is an amazing sight (and sound!) His “masterpiece theater style” narration is hilarious. I enjoying this so much I watched twice in a row, no kidding. Frrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreessshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Starring A-trak. Featuring Q-Bert, Kanye West, Peanut Butter Wolf, Keyboard Money Mark, Dj Craze, Roc Raida, Mixmaster Mike and many more!
available from: www.turntablelab.com