Hip-Hop Crossing Borders (Teriyaki Boyz and Kanye West)
“You love to hear the story, again and again/Of how it all got started way back when/The monument is right in your face/Sit and listen for a while to the name of the place…Hip-Hop was set out in the dark/They used to do it out in the park” (MC Shan, “The Bridge”)
With the above words of the legendary Queensbridge, New York bred, Juice Crew-affiliated rapper MC Shan, the exposition of this episode traces perhaps the most ambitious installment of THEMATIC For The People. S.O.S. helms this episode, with track-by-track spiritual aid via DJ Diamond and Miranda. Our thanks to the stupendous trio of Hola Halo (interview to be posted soon) for helping to set the episode off.
The movement known as Hip-Hop is covered in this “Beasts” fix, providing you 2 hours of MCs rocking rhymes, DJs pulling off fantastic feats of wax wizardry, boom bap producers intuitively spewing neck snapping beats, and breakdancers popping joints and limbs you never knew existed while locking the very mechanisms of time and space within their wonderful strides of funky dance.
The underground darkness of which Shan spoke about has been shed light via the shores of many continents across the world—Asia being no exception. Japan has a high concentration of love for the red-headed musical stepchild and the nostalgically-impassioned phenomenon that Hip-Hop is. And it’s an almost viral entity that’s gone from the after-dark park benches of the NY boroughs to the barrios and arenas of the world all over, including Nipponland and the other parts of the Far East.
DJ Kool Herc, often known in hip-hop circles as “The Godfather” of it all, was born in 1955 in the land of Kingston, Jamaica. His later migration to The Bronx, New York would unknowingly be an ingeniously tactical move far beyond the realm of his expectations as a DJ, as he would be responsible for birthing a number of innovations such as breakbeats, emcee rhyme schemes, and the priceless, intangible flair which many purveyors of this urban culture movement would fawn over and ultimately build upon generations later.
You’ll hear both mainstream and underground flavors of hip-hop music, the dichotomy of fashionably slick production and grimy sonic hyperbole, and learn that while you may not understand what some of the folks say line by line, bar by bar, you’ll respect and admire the passion, force and dexterity with which they say it (and play it). Some of the delivery is more entertaining for the humor of it. What must also be mentioned is that the skills of the DJs will blow your mind.
This is an exciting feature, and it is a nod to the kind fellow here at WUOG, the unsung hero who has helped us here at Beasts get our start in the radio game—the one and only Akeeme “DJ Blaque Starr” Martin of the award-winning, internationally celebrated Halftime Hip-Hop Show, which airs Fridays from 9pm to Midnight.
There’s some entertaining stuff here, and a slew of vibrant artists. The international uniting force that music naturally is keeps this principle within hip-hop. You’ll hear from some big names on our shores such as a famous ‘College Dropout’ (pictured above) and Warren G. (half-brother of Dr. Dre and creator of the timeless Nate Dogg-featured jam “Regulate“) to name a few. More importantly, you’ll get to know names such as Coma-Chi, Dabo, DJ Mitsu, Zeebra, and Tokimonsta. The Rock Steady Crew will be represented here as well.
As DJ Blaque Starr will tell you, there’s a brief yet marked history when you discuss the beast that is the double H genre, movement—and to a greater degree, anamoly. Do the knowledge with us, hit the Play button, and—-
“Step into a world, where hip-hop is me
Where MC’s and DJ’s
Build up their skills as they play every day
For the, rapture”
(From KRS-One’s “Step Into A World” Rapture’s Delight)
To find out what’s to be heard in this world, check out the playlist HERE.
Start the cipher, and click the Play button below.
Beasts 7/3 Hip-Hop Show
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(In an upcoming post, we’ll feature some video clips and extra tunages to highlight the hip-hop stylings in The Land of the Rising Sun)
Today's Triple Play Terror---The Producer Known As Tokimonsta (Beat Goddess of "Astro-Vandalism")
Graffiti Drawing in Yokohama
and how are You?
