Listening | Noticing | Getting Down
December 1, 2010 Leave a comment
“MC 900 Foot Jesus” is not a household name, as destined for success as it may have sounded. His stuff never took off (but perhaps served its purpose?), and his last release was in 1996.
This track is one I enjoy, from One Step Ahead of the Spider (1994).
(Sorry, it’s another one you have to click to watch on YouTube.)
August 13, 2010 Leave a comment
Digable Planets was one of the funkiest hip-hop groups of the 90’s. Wikipedia says… that Doodlebug said… that they’re supposed to have a new album coming out by the end of this summer. They better hurry, I guess. We’ll see what they come up with.
The second of their two albums, Blowout Comb (1994), was a masterpiece, but a strong departure from their commercially successful debut in 1993, Reachin’ (one track from which is still seeing commercial success, “Cool Like That,” featured on a recent Coldwater Tide commercial).
Blowout Comb was a nice departure. It’s much more jazzy than straight hip-hop. You’ll hear what I mean if you listen to “Dial 7 (Axioms Of Creamy Spies).” The song is as freaky as the title. These guys are not spitting lyrics at you like so many rappers carelessly do. Their voices are instrumental and their words are artistic.
Digable Planets were proud to be black, and they rapped about it. Digable Planets was like an edgy version of the Bill Cosby effect of the 80’s. Both Cosby and Digable Planets strived to empower African-Americans, but took very different approaches. Cosby created the first American tv show to represent African-Americans as highly successful individuals rather than catering to black stereotypes (Watch re-run’s on TV-Land! The Cosby Show never gets old!). The Planets embraced and unapologetically proclaimed the virtue of their afros and their blackness, and like Cosby they did so without encouraging negative stereotypes, in Blowout Comb. The entire album is good. Each approach has its own timeless merits.
Other standouts from Blowout Comb: “The Art of Easing” and “Black Ego.”
My people, black people, steal your mind back.
Don’t die in the wilderness.
F- that.
-From “Dial 7 (Axioms Of Creamy Spies),” Digable Planets
Indeed!
Enjoy.
Uncle Funk's Catalogue 