The latest trend is trendwatching with no binoculars. While all of us were fighting about Charles Hamilton, Los Angeles and other bubbling parts of California^[1] have been blowing up a dance/fashion/music meme known as Jerkin’^[2] in recent months. The dance speaks for itself,^[3] let’s talk music. I wanted to put together a proper zip file for a second, but finding CDQs on this sort of stuff is a particularly difficult undertaking. Fortunately I can just let some sixteen year old on Imeem do my job for me. (more…)

Despite it’s title ^[1] Eric Arnold’s “The Demise of Hyphy” piece from the last SF Weekly is a pretty great read. It’s less a genre euology and more the story of KMEL and how radio homogeneity can squash a movement. I spent some time in the Bay a few years ago and was geeked off the amount of local music that was getting play on a Clear Channel station. It felt like old Mac Dre records and the “5 On It” remix accounted for a good half of the playlist. I guess it was naive to think that would last forever.

_{[1] Can we please declare a moratorium on “Death Of ____” criticism? Music doesn’t die it just changes form.}

Murs – “Dreadlocks“
from Murs For President (Warner, 2007)

I don’t want to cry “sellout.” Because selling out is good business.

And it’s certainly not ignorant rap. He suggests reading about Selassie. And shouts out college graduates. And it’s a damn De La hook.

About 2 steps and a walk out away from from the socially aware dance craze we discussed last week?

I guess the issue is an aesthetic shift. Dude dumbed down his style.

But his style wasn’t ever that complex, not in this decade it wasn’t.

Come to think of it Murs has always been rapping about sort of smart shit in a sort of dumb way. Or maybe the other way around.

He’s been open about the fact that Murs For President is his underground exodus record, but I was expecting something closer to early CMW than late CMT.

Realistically I expected him to make a third rate Rhymefest record. And this is much more interesting than that.

But it’s still not that great.

Rick Rock’s slap is slightly more engaging than 9th Wonder’s snoozers, but it’s about equally generic.

It’s weird. If this was an unknown act, or The Pack, I might cautiously ride for it. But it’s Murs. So I’m mostly confused.

It’s not like it’s a dishonest record. I don’t doubt that this is the record he wanted to make. So more power to the dude. It’s not like Sunspot or whoever is doing anything BUT keeping it real.

I assume.

UPDATED 4/19 (via jake one/slstrt) Mostly Droop & Rick Rock slaps. Works for me.

Waving a little fanfare for what could be one of the stronger 2007 rap releases, courtesy of E-40′s cousin Turf Talk. His 2005 debut and last proper solo record, The Street Novelist was a favorite of mine and possibly the finest full length realization of the hyphy movement to date. West Coast Vaccine has been mainly a product of faint message board murmurs and if Sick Wid It’ CD inserts were to tell it, it’s been coming soon for almost two years. Like similarly AWOL Wise Intelligent and Cormega CDs, it was one of my most anticipated for 2006. So It’s nice to see that it finally has a release date and a tracklisting (and a FREEWAY cameo), although we know that sort of thing means very little in this day and age. Also the artwork is dope as fuck, with a nice Down & Dirty nod.

Turf Talk – West Coast Vaccine (Sick Wid It)
April 3 25 June 5?, 2007

1. Intro f/ Akronems of Writers Block (Produced by Nick Fury)
2. Bring The Base Back (Produced by Rick Rock)
3. Doe Boy ft. E-40 & B-Legit (Produced by Droop E)
4. Record Company Skit
5. Super Star ft. Lock Smith (Produced by C.M.T & EA-Ski)
6. I Got Chips ft. E-40 (Produced by Rick Rock)
7. That’s That Turf Talk (Produced by Tha Bizness)
8. Broke Niggas! (Produced by Droop-E)
9. PoPos ft. E-40 (Produced by Droop-E)
10. Back In The Day ft. Kartoon (Ruff Rider West) & Jelly Roll (Produced By Rome)
11. Money On Ya Head ft. KnockaMichie (Produced by Rick Rock)
12. Let Me Holla at You ft. Rick Rock (Produced by Rick Rock)
13. Fresh Is The Word ft. E-40 (Produced by Jake 1)
14. X ft. Yuk Mouth (Produced by Rick Rock)
15. Liquor Store Skit
16. I’m Ghetto (Produced by Rick Rock)
17. Stop Snithchin ft. E-40 (Produced by Droop-E)
18. Minnie Minnie ft. Freeway (Produced by Droop E)
19. Rippah ft. Too $hort (Produced by Troy Sanders)
20. Shinnin (Produced by LA)
21. Groupie (Produced by Traxxamillion)

Mac Dre – “Livin’ A Mac’s Life”
Mac Dre – “Mac Dre’s The Name“
from Young Black Brotha EP (Strictly Business, 1989)
Mac Dre – “Untitled”
unreleased demo (198?)