So clearly the whole idea of this being where I would disciplinedly (is that a real word?) write on a regular basis about music and artists that I am really 'feeling' (no chris langham) has fallen on its arse, what with me actually only managing to write one post in pretty-much-two-months. Despite the fact that almost everyday I hear an astonishing bit of music, I have preferred to spend my days playing Football Manager 2007 (got Barnet into the Premiership with successive promotions), wanking (I'm not gonna write any detailed information in the brackets on this particular hobby) and watching Arrested Development (and The Tower and The Cricket) and my nights reliving all of my life's minorly embarassing moments in a one man slide-show-of-shame-in-my-head before falling into a dark, tortuous sleep (really, why do all those little faux-pas that you've made stay in your head so easily? I would struggle to come up with 5 moments of my life I'm really proud of (well.....) yet I could write a book on the number of times I've been involved in little incidents which have left me beetroot red with a bizarrely sweaty nose. Perhaps I could incorporate all my mini-humiliations into some form of mind-map-style revision technique in the future).ANYWAY, my petty bourgeois neurosis leads me nicely onto a song where two hard, self-confident rappers talk about the frankly ridiculous size of the wheels on their cars. Well, not at all, but here you go....
Blood Raw feat. Young Buck & FAMU Marching Band - 26 Inches
So about a year ago I became obsessed with youtube videos of the marching bands of historically black colleges and universities performing instrumental versions of rap tracks at competitions and American Football matches. I have absolutely no recollection of how on earth I could have first searched for this, but at least it registers on the healthier side of my youtube obsessions. Here's a few good videos to explain just what I mean, if these don't get you jigging about in front of your computer in some form of military strutting/fist-pumping hybrid you might as well give up and listen to Hard-Fi or Newton Faulkner now (sorry to diss the Newton-meister but anyone who's advert proclaims them the 'UK's Jack Johnson' is not going to draw any reaction other than a vicious tug on his dreadlocks from me).
Southern University - 2004 Rap Medley
Grambling State University - 2005 Rap Medley
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff - Welcome to Jamrock
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff - Head Bussa
(embedding disabled for this one)
I love these videos for a number of reasons. At least two anyway. Firstly, they make being in what is effectively a brass band look like the fucking coolest thing in the world. Secondly, they birthed in my head the idea of one day getting a rapper to perform live for a music show with a Salvation Army band backing him up in a similar style (how cool would that look?). Thirdly (hey!), I know I wank on about the importance of hip-hop in myriad ways, but this seems like a perfect illustration of both its cultural significance, in that a generation has grown up with it as such a central part of their lives that playing it with a brass band is entirely natural (if not a necessary statement of their own identity), but also its redeeming power, in that it has always been able to cannabalise other forms of music and use them to its own ends, and so it is totally apposite for hip-hop to be made using a brass band. or for brass band music to be hip-hop.
Which does bring me nicely onto today's song (actually). In which Young Jeezy's consigliere Blood Raw and G-Unit's most-talented man rabble-rouse over a beat that twists a marching band, organs and a choir into a gratifyingly crunk whole which ought to get you jigging about in front of your computer in some form of military strutting/fist-pumping hybrid. or will sound pretty good cruising around town in your ford ka/nissan micra/renault clio/vauxhall corsa/chevy on 26-inch rims (delete as appropriate).
and that is all.
peace X
P.S. r.i.p. to tony wilson - he properly was my hero and I always thought that one day I'd have the chance to shake his hand and say thanks.
