Thoughts From The Rap Nest
Vol022-029
Thoughts
The longevity of a release. This is something I have been thinking about for a while. I am as guilty as the next person of moving on to the next release and the next release and the next release. I think this has been my mindset as a DJ and radio host. I am always looking for new releases and artists to play. So, this naturally has expanded into my recreational listening. When I was first getting into rap and it was scarcer and my finances were very limited, I would sit with a new release for months. Is this a reason I continually revisit albums from this era? It probably is a part of it. I used to be able to rap along and do back ups etc. Now I would be hard-pressed to do that with many current releases.
The amount of, and access to releases is insane. In the rap chat, Kitz said Billy woods is dropping a new album tomorrow and here I am still checking every day to see if the Aethiopes release is finally available for order on vinyl. Like, I have not even digested that release and now there is a new release. I know it is available on the streams, but especially with Billy Woods work I like to sit down, put the record on to fully digest it. It is not a light passive listening experience. It involves your full attention. The lyrics and themes are complex and layered. I am surprised by this news as it overshadows the current release and in a sense ends that release cycle. On the other hand things are so tight financially for independent rap artists that you need to continually have releases in the cycle to compete for people’s attention and get that influx of sales that coincide with a new release drop. Lead times for vinyl manufacturing as we all know are super long and shitty. I recently added my fourth different vinyl preorder with R.A.P. Ferreira with the oldest ones being from December 2021. Preorders are out of control.
The one positive with the records shipping later or selling later as an artist you get that bump in sales months after the release or that social media bump as people post the arrival of that release. Artists are adapting and finding ways to capitalize off this and make it a favourable situation for themselves as they can, given the complex circumstances that make up being an indie rap artist in 2022. I get both sides of it, from the fan and artist perspective repectively. I am not sure what the right answer is, but I do feel what is currently occurring makes it difficult to be a general rap fan and forces you to narrow your breadth and focus in on a much more manageable subsection of the rap world. I have always sort of done this but as the rap world grows my focus seems to continually narrow in.
The homie Chadio posted about coping a PO-80 Record Factory Kit from Teenage Engineering in the rap chat this afternoon. “PO-80 record factory is a compact and portable record cutter, made in collaboration with yuri suzuki. engrave and playback 5" discs with ultra-analog lo-fi sound - simply plug in any audio device to the 3.5 mm audio input and cut your own record in an instant. yep, it's really that simple” Rove made an interesting comment that really resonated with me “It really is mind boggling there isn’t a decent quality affordable machine to cut 12” records at home. The technology is so primitive and it comes down to grooves in vinyl. How is that not a thing already”. This is a great question and I think there are a few reasons. Is there a market for this? Is the market large enough to justify the research and development to make it? If so can I find a manufacturer to produce the parts and assemble it? Is the economy of scale large enough that any manufacturer will touch this project? This is all more complicated by global supply chain issues. I feel that people have looked at it numerous times over the years and there were too many no’s to those questions to proceed on a commercial scale with a viable option that is more than a hobby version. There have been some attempts over the years, but they have missed the mark like Vestax ‘s VRX-2000 that missed the mark with hobbyists at a $9,999 USD launch price. Or others have been too novelty in nature and have lacked any real application other than for a child recording their voice etc. I think it really comes down to there is a real lack of people willing to shell out the money for a quality device. Also I really miss the Vestax company as they took all types of risks with consumer products over the years but I will save that for a future post.
I am really happy that Audio Recon is re-releasing Serengeti’s Gentle Fall album. One of the reasons is really selfish as I for some bizarre reason I can’t quite figure out is that I missed out on the first pressing. I have the cassette, but really want the vinyl. So you can understand why I was so excited to hear it was getting a repress so quickly. The cover gets a refresh with new art from Illinois based artist Ryan Travis Christian. I was not familiar with his work previous to this release. I was linked with this really cool article in Juxtapose that gave me some insight into their works and life. Check it out HERE. One thing I really appreciate about Audio Recon is their priority on great cover art, and printing and finish of the record jackets. As age I really appreciate these little extras and effort that goes into these releases.
There are still a handful of copies available at Audio Recon.
I just wanted to send a sincere thank you to all that donated to CFCR’s FM-Phasis 2022 fundraising drive and supporting Third Verse. I really appreciate it and your donations go along way in helping with operational expenditures. If you didn’t get a chance to donate you still CAN.
Record One
Classified - Retrospected
This is an acoustic collection of previously released tracks from his catalogue re-imagined in a new stripped down way. Recorded over the past three years in various studios across the country with various musicians and artists. I like this idea of reflecting on your career through re-imagined stripped down versions of your songs. I think this works well with his style as he many songs like this in the past but with beats under them. It sounds natural fro him and doesn't sound like a stretch for him vocally to carry a rap record without traditional beats. He is about to embark across a national tour performing this album. Classified has warmed up to me over the years. Some of his stuff is kind a corn ball in a traditional hip hop sense but his early and later works have really caught my ear and are relatable in a lot of ways. It is evident that he really loves hip hop though and through and that is why this record works. It is nice to put on and relax to in the rap nest. Also gets bonus points for classic black vinyl.
Record Two
AJ Seude & Televanjel - Metatron’s Cube
Now, I am sure a few of are like you already talked about this, didn’t you? Yeah I did but that was the super disappointing tape release edition. This is the super exciting vinyl edition. Limited to 100 copies on Chong Wizard Records that sold out in an afternoon so I hope you just received this in the mail or you are going to be at the mercy of the Discogs sharks. This release has a proper cover and track listing. Two thing lacking in the the tape release. Not to dwell, but that tape release might be one of the most disappointing physical releases in the last decade. I am sure you have all heard this album by now. If not go check it asap. Aj Seude is on fire right now and is poised for a nice breakout in an indie rap sense. Pay attention as lots of his back catalogue has been released to vinyl for the first time and he seems to always be dropping something. I also heard a secret track one of the homies made with him that is incredible but that is all I can say about that so you will have to wait. Trust me it will be worth it. Once again a winner with the classic black vinyl pressing.
Classic Material
Awol One & Factor - Try 7”
This was such an important and monumental record for Factor, our crew (Sideroad Records) and Saskatoon. We had come off touring with Awol One, Circus Busdriver and Ayentee. I believe Factor and Awol had talked about doing something like recording a song or something together. We were so young, nieve and full of energy. We didn’t know any better which helped us all do some wild shit and fulfill some of our wildest dreams. Some days I wish I had the guts, dedication and perseverance that Factor had and really went for a career in music in some capacity. I played it way too safe and continue too. I am really proud of my homie Factor for defying all the odds especially for a producer to make a go of it!
It was a really exciting time. We were starting to get some real opportunities and we were starting to come into our own technically and musically. The Sideroad Records Crew in that era was my favourite. It seemed like we all had all the time in the word to kick it in the studio and listen to beats, record and just hang as a crew. Factor was really becoming the machine that he still is in that era. He had such a dedication and work ethic and always made sure the work got done before the partying took over. So much music wouldn’t have been made and recorded if he was not like that.
I am not sure how Factor got Awol the beat. I had to text him because I was really interested and couldn’t remember. Sending it via email didn’t seem like that was really a thing back then. Did he mail him a cd? So, Factor texted me back and confirmed my suspicion that he mailed the beat on a CD to Awol. That is so wild to me. I remember him calling me and saying Awol had sent the track but we had to go pick it up I think from Purolator or DHL. Factor scooped me and we went and grabbed it from one of those places by the airport. I vividly remember the package and how exciting it was opening it. I am not sure if Factor knew or not before hand but Awol had sent the track on a DAT or Digital Audio Tape. We obviously couldn’t play the track until we secured a DAT player. We went to the Long & McQuade shop on second avenue to inquire about renting a DAT machine. I knew they had them because I remember soso renting one for a show one time. I believe it was for a Frek Sho set where they required it to play their instrumentals to rap over. They had a couple options to choose from and we chose a smaller DAT player and immediately drove back to Factors so we could check out the track.
We ran down the stairs to the OG Factor G Studios which was his childhood bedroom in his parents basement. We hooked up the DAT player and put the tape in and pushed play. It was the ultimate. The song was classic Awol and perfect. We listened to it over and over again, each time picking out new favorite lines or parts. It is as so exciting. Factor made a track with my co-favourite MC (other co-favourite Masta Ace). At that moment I really thought that was the pinnacle. Like what else could you possibly accomplish in rap that would top this. Clearly, I was wrong on that hahah. All you have to do is look at Factor’s catalogue post that track.
However for me that song meant so much more then just being a dope song. That record set things off in a more serious way for all of us and especially Factor. Not that we were not serious before, but it made us dream of what could be and opened many doors for a lot of us and paved the way for friendships and work relationships over the past 20 plus years. I would argue that release might be the most important release in Saskatoon rap history as it lit a fire under Factor that has yet to be extinguished. It is different in importance from Epic’s 8:30 In Newfoundland which is the seminal Saskatoon Rap Release.
The manufacturing of the record seemed long at the time like 3-4 weeks but by today’s standards that is lightning quick. It was so exciting when they arrived. It was kinda like we made it but in a sense we and especially Factor was just getting started.
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
I was on the entire tour. That was the only show I didn’t DJ for Awol One and Circus. They had some homie named Dj Hockey Fighter for hands or something like that from Winnipeg or surrounding area. I did DJ for Busdriver and Ayentee that night. I have lots of photos from that show.
They did that joke every show. It is from a song that I am drawing a blank on right now of theirs.
Yeah Ayentee was really cool to get to know. I love how honest and relatable his music is.
Hell yeah! Love you homie