Thoughts From The Rap Nest
vol022-012 a cool dozen
Thoughts
Remember when rappers used to wear hockey jerseys? There is so much hockey chat in the rap chat and it picks up during this time of year with the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now I do not live in a city with an NHL team like some of the homies in the chat Like Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Columbus, and Pittsburgh but “WILD” Bill Hunter one time in 1983 bought the St. Louis Blues with the intention of relocating them to Saskatoon, however the board of governors did not approve the sale and had the whole city was singing the blues and the city of St. Louis is playing Gloria.
I have a complicated history with hockey. As a child I loved the game so dearly however it was one as a teenager I had to reject for self preservation and survival. I flirted with trying to play the game in University but I was unsuccessful and got a life time suspension for fighting (I turned a semester suspension into a lifetime one by fighting in three consecutive fights in a row, one after another, halting the game not resuming until I was escorted out of the rink) Not one of my finer moments that is for sure. I have not watched a lot of hockey since the Canadiens won the cup in 1993 but listening to the Fan 590 sports talk radio at work for the past 9 years and the hockey talk in rap chat, the Canadiens reaching the Cup Final last year all had me tunning in to the odd leafs game this past season. Then the playoffs hit and I was really interested in the leafs as I felt invested in the team since i heard on average 3 hours a day of Leafs talk 5 times a week. I had to tune in to see the same old result I guess. I really thought this year would be different and that they would make it out of the first round. Welcome to being a Maple Leafs fan in the most suiting fashion. Anyways all this hockey talk got me thinking and reminiscing about how prevalent hockey jerseys were in 90’s hip hop. These are some instances I can think of off the top of the dome. I am sure I am missing a whole bunch but these are ones that stood out to me.
I gotta set it off with Tupac’s iconic photo of him wearing the red at the time, road Redwings Jersey as he exited a courthouse in Manhattan. My man M.Phasis copped this jersey, not sure if it was because of Tupac but it could have been. I don’t think it was as we were not big Tupac fans at the time, actually we were anti-Tupac fans as non rap fans really liked him. We hated all rap that non-hip hop heads liked so like your most popular rap at that time basically. I have really come around on Tupac as I age and really appreciate the multi-dimensions of his career and music. Keith Murray also rocked this in the black and white The Most Beautifulest Thing In the World Video. It is hard to pick out as it is cropped in the video but he definitely is wearing it as you can see the distinctive wing spoked wheel.
Another super iconic rapper wearing a hockey jersey in a video is Craig Mack in the Flavor In Your Ear video where he rocks the Tampa Bay Lightning white home jersey. My man Funky, inspired by this video copped the black road version. I loved that jersey. It was really fresh at the time.
Probably my favourite hockey jersey in a rap video is Phife Dawg wearing a Red New Jersey Devils Jersey with the number 5 and the name plate Phife in the ATCQ Oh My God video. Phife looked great in any sports jersey but this one he looked extra fly in. Only thing that could have made this better was if it was the Devils jersey with the green instead of black. Nas in The World Is Yours Video which is another black and white video is wearing a white New Jersey Devils jersey. Again this is really subtle like the Keith Murray video.
Snoop Dogg sported a couple dope hockey jerseys including a Black Pittsburgh Penguins jersey in the Gin and Juice Video. With the nameplate Gin and Juice number 94. Pittsburgh was written diagonally on the front like the Rangers do on and was really dope. They should go back to that style. He also wore the Spring Field (racist team name, not writing it) jersey which was and American Hockey League team and affiliate of the Hartford Whalers with the nameplate Snoop Dogg and Number 71. M.Phasis also copped this one as just a blank but same jersey. On a weird aside this team is now in Abbotsford British Columbia and is an AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks who my long time homie since grade 9, Chico is the Head Equipment Manager for.
One of Da Youngsta’s in the Hip Hop Ride video is rocking a White Winnipeg Jets jersey and there is someone else wearing black Boston Briuins jersey in the video. This was a left fielder and extra dope because it was a Canadian team and extra, extra dope and obscure one. I was really excited when I first saw this. We all got really excited. Lords of the Underground’s DoItall in the Tic Toc video rocks a Black Dallas Stars Jersey. My brother had this jersey and I wore it a lot after this video came out. I think there is red Florida Panthers jersey sighting in that one too. In Audio Two’s Top Billin video, Milk D is rocking the white home Montreal Canadiens jersey. A real trendsetter. Probably the first rapper I ever saw wear a hockey jersey in a video.
In King Just’s Warriors Drum video there are entourage members wearing white Pittsburgh Penguins and Black Boston Bruins jerseys. And last but not least, Smiff N Wessun loved rocking hockey jerseys in their videos. In the Bucktown video Tek is Rocking the Red Chicago Blackhawks and in the Lets Get It On video the Black Bruins and white Florida Panther’s jerseys make and appearance. Fellow Duck Down crew Black Moon I Gotcha Open remix, Bucksot is wearing the white Pittsburgh Penguins and the red Montreal Canadiens jersey.
Also the NHL should go back to white Jerseys at home. I never liked that switch. Also also 1980’s NHL Jerseys are the best era of hockey Jerseys. Also also also bring back the Nordiques de Québec. Also also also also when a team relocates they should not be able to take the team name and or team records/history. Enough with hockey already Chaps! Sorry soso for turning this into a rant about hockey.
I kicked it this past Saturday Morning with the homie Rove as he painted this masterpiece. I love hanging with Rove when he is painting wall pieces because he finishes in like 1/2 the time as the wall writers. Freight writers got that that in and out all business approach, while wall writers got that all day socialize and paint approach. I knew everyone else painting Sirvis, Evak, Catch, Csik and See. Always great to see all of these writers and chat. The homie Rolling Canvases usually shows up as well and it is always great talking with him. He has a great freight graffiti instagram page and you should check it out. I know I slow Rove down when I am kicking it but I appreciate the opportunity to learn and watch a master at his craft. Sometimes he even asks me for advice. I generally don’t have good advice but I appreciate him asking me. As I age, I cherish these opportunities more and more. Rove always blows my mind.
Record 1
Cadence Weapon - Bedroom Rapper
Now this isn’t a record, it is actually a book. A memoir from the homie Cadence Weapon that dropped in Bookstores world wide this past Tuesday. Apparently not world wide enough though for the homie Noblonski who one to his bookstore to cop one in Berlin and was told later this month. I asked him if the book would be printed in English or German and he said English. I am really happy for Cadence Weapon on what has been a really big year for him with the winning of the 2021 Polaris Music Prize, his latest album Parallel World, and now this incredible new book. I have only made it a couple chapters in but I wanted to profile it in the newsletter anyways. My favourite part so far is when I get a shout out on page 55 “ Their Community was fostered by CFCR radio host and hip hop obsessive Chaps,” That made my day for sure. Cadence offers some amazing insights into early days of entering the sort of tale end of an incredible indie rap run across the prairies. That is really as far as I have got so far. Anyways Props to Epic for driving Cadence Weapon to Saskatoon for his first rap show out of Edmonton. Rove and I had booked him for the first Summer Fling in 2005 but he doesn’t mention the show we booked him for as her mentions performing at another show a couple days prior but still part of the Summer Fling event. It doesn’t really matter though. I am stoked that our scene had a small hand in helping launch his career. I am really excited about reading the rest and I wish I had more time to dive into it before this weeks thoughts newsletter. I would highly recommend coping this book.
Record 2
DK X Ghettosocks - Listen to the Master.
I got this record in the mail this week. I opted for the domestic version which is a dark green see through coloured vinyl variant vs the Japanese variant with black vinyl and an obi strip. My disdain for obi strips won out over my disdain for coloured vinyl. Obi strips drive me nuts and are useless in North America. Anyways I really like the combination of DK on the beats and Ghettosocks on the raps. It is a winning combination. My only complaint is there are guest features on 8 of the 10 tracks and one of the solo tracks Reflections was previously released on a 7”. I would like more of Ghettosocks on the album. IThe album is great and exactly what would have expected prior to listening. The standout track for me is Be A Mango with Phoenix Pagliacci and LXVNDR that agrees misogyny, patriarchy and themes of that nature in a thoughtful and dope way. It is available from Black Buffalo Records now.
Classic Material
The Highlife Movement – Estuary
This was released on Massmen Records in 1999 on cd and vinyl. I got the vinyl when it dropped and I recently got a cd copy. There was a skate shop in Saskatoon that sold underground rap records, tapes cd’s etc and sold a lot of local rap music for a few years called Undergind Skates. They had lots of west coast underground things and I am pretty sure I bought it there. Massmen Records had 18 releases in their catalogue from 1998 – 2002 and featured arguable some of the most important compilations in the history of hip hop with a repress of Fat Jack’s cater to the DJ on CD in 2002, a repress on vinyl and first time to cd Project Blowed compilation in 1999 and the polarizing Anticon Presents: Music For The Advancement Of Hip Hop on CD in 1999. Also notable releases include Abstract Tribe Unique’s Mood Pieces in 1998 on vinyl and cd as well as Awol One & Fat Jack’s Propoganda in 2002.
I love this record. It is everything I like in an album with instrumental interlude tracks with vocal samples from movies that fit the mood perfectly. The transitions between tracks are perfect and it flows like one seamless track. Now why am I writing about this record? Well back in 1999/2000 I was still living at home going to university. The phone rang. And I think my mom answered and she said it was someone for a dj chaps. Now this phone was in the kitchen with a cord and hung on the wall. She handed me the phone and I answered hello and the voice on the other end said is this dj chaps and I said it was (for the record I just go by chaps). The person on the other end then said this is Abstract Rude of ATU and I said no word of a lie, “shut the fuck up, who is this really?” Like why the hell would Abstract Rude be calling a kid in the middle of nowhere Canada? He was like no this is Ab Rude, and I clued into his voice and I said “holy shit, I am sorry for earlier”. I proceeded to gush my fandom over the phone for the next few minutes. I was so excited and felt like I was floating in my kitchen. Like the guy who made the song, Yesterday And Today, is calling to talk to me on the phone. We chatted for a bit, and he stated tat he was planning on coming out my way and wanted to touch base as he got my contact info I believe from Matt The Hip Hop Bear at DSU (legendary local promoter). He was like I will send you out some stuff and he mentioned the Highlife record and I said I had all the things he was offering to send my way. In retrospect I should have said I had none of it and got some extras for the homies but I had to prove my fandom to the rap gawd Ab Rude. He was really excited and impressed. Anyways it was cool as I was such a big fan of ATU at the time and Underground Fossils and Mood Pieces are the ultimate. He later made his way to Winnipeg for Peg City Holla and that trip was made infamous by Epic’s line on Old Guys ready TO Rock The Mic “I once saw Abstract Rude in the Safeway Parking Lot”. I however didn’t make it out to Winnipeg and I can’t remember the recon but it had to be pretty important probably school related. However, my homie and roommate at the time, Innate, did and he got my Underground Fossils LP Signed for me. I wish I had that phone call on tape. I probably sounded like the biggest loser but it would be great for a laugh.
Closing Ramblings
I have two new shirts up at Stylesmakefights.ca One for my radio Show You Know The Rules designed by the homie Aiden Searle and the other formy dj crew The Stone Cold Party Rockers with the homie Rove designed by the homie Awol One. Also the homies at Audio Recon have some dope new shirts too
I host two weekly radio shows Third Verse on CFCR 90.5 fm in Saskatoon Saskatchewan every Wednesday 9 -10:30pm CST and You Know The Rules on UMFM 101.5 in Winnipeg Manitoba every Sunday Night 10-11pm They are pretty great and you should check em out.
Also i got some cool shirts, poster and hats in the Ugsmag Shop if you want that fly shit.
**legal disclaimer all records and songs were run through the RAP NEST 5000 SUPER ANALYTIC COMPTROLLER MACHINE that is certified by the I.A.A.R.R.A (International Association of Analytical Rap Recordings Analysis) in layman’s terms, it means the machine is never wrong.
Catch you next week with more thoughts from the rap nest.
Peace
-chaps
ahhhh yeah! The Highlife Movement 100