Thoughts
I often think about what it is like for the new generation of kids getting into making hip hop. Whether it is making beats, djing, recording etc. There is a myriad of options with a lot of inexpensive ways. This is the best. Reducing any type of barriers to accessibility for those who want to create and have fun is such a positive thing. Some will complain that it waters things down and makes for a lot of wack material. I think we are living in a rap renaissance and there has never been as much great rap music being made as there is today. I don’t know if that is a result of the increased participation or new technologies, but I am sure it doesn’t hurt. The ability to collaborate with others has never been easier with the advent of home recording being so accessible.
I used to be such a hard ass when it came to “rules” for hip hop. Like you had to make betas on hardware like an MPC 2000, SP-1200, Akai S900, or a ASR-10, When someone said they made beats using software like fruity loops or something like that I was quick to dismiss it. I think a lot of those feelings were wrapped up in nostalgia and the romance of hip hop culture. It being this secret club that only a few had mastered, and you had to inch and claw to find out any sort of information on how they did what they did. I have always been a proponent of not adhering to the adage that I went through it and it sucked so you have to. I think if you are in any position to make things easier for those that come behind you, you have a responsibility to do so. This has always been an internal conflict for me, and I am supremely flawed in this when it comes to hip hop. In any other faucet of my life, it comes naturally. I am super conflicted as I think some of the struggle is important and creates amazing art but no one should have to needlessly struggle to create art. There is some sort of happy medium and balance there for sure.
I recognize I am a gate keeper of sorts. I do two weekly radio shows and there is lots of local hip that I will not play or even give any attention to. Some of that is because I believe in playing physical music but then that is a flaw as I should embrace the digital world and increase accessibility and reach for the next generation. Also, I don’t think the younger generation cares about radio in the way people my age and older do. They are not looking to traditional media outlets and when they do they don’t understand that people require certain formats to play etc. I also could do a better job at mentoring or coaching them but I think they are driven in using modern technological outlets like YouTube, SoundCloud, Tik Tok and others like that. I am not interested in music on those platforms. I love physical music.
I am not sure what point I am trying to make here. Maybe there isn’t a point other then recognizing my own own limitations, biases and ethos when it comes to rap music and Hip Hop Culture.
Some really exciting news from Audio Recon and Pen Thief Records dropped this morning via email. Incase you missed it here it is.
Hey!
Big news... if you have a 3d tape in your collection, you're already familiar with Pen Thief Records. The super dope boutique record label based in Berlin, Germany and best known for their beautifully handcrafted cassettes and CDs. Well, if not, you might wanna check out their back catalogue at penthiefrecords.bandcamp.com/merch. Keep an eye out! There will be special deals exclusively available for Audio Recon Fans. That's because we've officially joined forces in an anti-corporate merger of sorts. In an effort to better serve our International supporters, our good friend noblonski @ pen thief will be holding down the European division of Audio Recon. He will be handling some fulfillment for limited quantities of select releases and likely be providing some custom options of future projects. We are certain that uniting forces during these times is essential in order to keep shipping costs and customs fees at a mi nimum and cutting waiting times in Europe by 50%.
I am really happy for both Id Obelus and Noblonski and I am really excited for what is to come as they are such big rap fans and both so creative! This will no doubt be a great partnership!
I want to give a shout out to the homies at Styles Make Fights for putting together these dope Third Verse stickers. Hit them up for stickers, design and other promotional needs! I gave a stack of these to Rove to put in mailouts for his album and I sent a stack to Noyz to put in Ugsmag Zine issue number 2.
Record One
Es - You Want A Piece Of Me
I am not sure how I discovered Missasauga mc Es. I saw something, somewhere on the internet about and album called Social Meteor Vol 1: Inspired By My Timeline in 2019. I went to Es’s bandcamp and saw that there was vinyl and I ordered it. I really like to support Canadian indie rap in vinyl. It seems like it has always been mote of a challenge for Canadians to press vinyl. I am not sure why I think this but it seems to anadoctally be the case based on my 30 plus years of buying rap living in Canada. I really liked Social Meteor so Es was now on my radar. I copped another vinyl release from Es and producer Pandomonium UK called The Connected EP in 2022. This was was a really nice project and I played it a lot on the radio and in the Rap Nest. Now in 2022 after some manufacturing delays Es is back better then aver with You Want A Piece Of Me. I recently got this record in the mail and I have really been enjoying it. It is a really introspective work where Es rereflectson themes of dreams and home coming up and more. I really like the honesty and relatability of Es’s lyrics. My jams are Instrumental over Instrumental and Attack feat Elzhi. I would recommend giving this album a listen and copping it!
Record Two
Pen Thief Records - Summer Collection 2022
The Pen Thief Records compilations are some of my favourite compilations released. The Summer Collection 2022 is no exception and it may be the best in the series so far. You Could tell that Noblonski was really working hard to create a soundtrack for the summer as the sequencing of the tracks on this compilation really hit perfect on these dog days of summer. There is a perfect blend of instrumental tracks and vocal tracks. There are so many great songs on this album and you should do yourself a favour and dive into this one now.
Classic Material
Swollen Members -Shatter Proof and S&M Rocks 12”’s
When we were starting out it was hard to find venues/bars that would give us a shot. They stayed away from rap music. Sometime in like 1998 a little hole in the wall bar opened on Second Avenue in Saskatoon. The bar was called Zombies. soso started bartending there. The owner Tim. Was such a great person and opened to different types of music and art. He started having DJ’s play and had themed nights around hip hop, house, drum and base and jungle music. Nit only was Zombies foundational in a burgeoning hip hop scene it was also foundational for an electronic music scene in Saskatoon and ushered in a new wave of DJ’s in all these genres.
We started doing some nights here and they were decently successful. We started throwing some shows there. One of them was A Swollen Members show. I am not sure how the show was booked. I am not sure if they contacted the venue to play or if Tim reached out, but he asked us how we thought a Swollen Members show would do. We thought it would do well. They were asking for 500$ at the time. I remember at that time everyone thought that was a lot of money and quite the gamble for the venue. In retrospect that isn’t a lot, but it was contextually as the scene was really in its infancy and many of the die-hard hip-hop heads were not 19 bar age yet. So, it was a bit of a gamble. I think we did enough to reassure Tim that the show would work and he booked them.
For some reason I think the show was a one off. I could be wrong, but I remember being blown away that they drove from Vancouver to Saskatoon to rock the show and then peaced out after. That is like a 21-hour straight drive, In retrospect I am sure they booked something in between but I remember talking with Mad Child and Zodak One who was their DJ at the time and I swear they said they came out for this show only. The show was awesome it was about a year before Balance was released and they just had the two 12” out. They were really stoked that I had them. I remember DJing at the show in the early part of the evening. It was an exciting time. We didn’t know it at the time, but we were pioneering a hip hop scene that eventually would be recognized worldwide. I learned a lot that night and had some great conversations with Zodak One. Zombies was instrumental in building the Hip Hop Scene in Saskatoon. It is wild how these things happen and play out.
Closing Ramblings
I have two shirts up at Stylesmakefights.ca One for my radio Show You Know The Rulesdesigned by the homie Aiden Searle and the other for my 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 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