“MC’s smoke crack, I smoke aluminum” Have you ever tried to make beats and write lyrics for an original song? When I finally had a computer with enough processing power, I began experimenting with making melodies and drum tracks along with creating the accompanying lyrics using digital production software. Within little time I discovered that composing the beat really drained my creativity to devote to writing any lyrics and vice versa. In the end, I remain a novice at both, saving the world from yet another amalgamation of stock digital drums and horns. GarageBand, a blessing and a curse! Producers or DJ’s that also lay down a vocal track are not out of the ordinary. Listen to Dre, Madlib, or J Dilla. The recently released Dilated People’s Directors of Photography gives DJ Babu a chance to rock the mic on “Figure It Out”, which he does with a traditional set of bars dedicated to the art of scratching and the honor of being a record “selectah”. It is a rare occurrence for a DJ to create the beats and also create a formidable personality on the mic that is worthy of praise. Yet Edan did just that on a few albums in the early 2000’s where he placed his comedic wit and intelligent rhymes over his personally crafted instrumentals. The rapper, producer, DJ is an alumnus from the Berklee College of Music and hails from the Washington DC area. As an illustration of his triad of skills, listen to “Clinical Rhymes” and its potpourri of 1990’s instrumentals supremely mixed together where he confidently states, “Parakeet rappers imitate the data - verbatim” His lyrics contain multisyllabic slant rhymes, unequally balanced bars throughout each verse, and the sense of being a good lyricist without being overly arrogant about it. And if you listened to hip hop in the 80’s, he gives you references to Schooly D, the Ultramagnetic MC’s, the Treacherous 3, Main Source among the many old-school samples that are hijacked for Edan’s soundscape. These albums are not linear and provide surprising samples, sound effects, and instruments at different points in each track. This is a tremendous breathe of fresh air from the “drag and extend” producers of the digital era. Are you old enough to remember a time when instrumentals were only created by instruments? Even the ubiquitous “Rapper’s Delight”, extended to 15-minutes in its original version, was created by a studio band! Edan’s “One Man Arsenal” is his submission to the yet created contest to be the ultimate hip hop artist; he is on the cuts, the mic, and the production. (Is this beat composed of a “My Melody” sample?) “Channeling my energy so children will remember me Stealing skill and remedies thrill and kill the nemesis Speech pattern blemishes, refreshin’ as a reservoir Veterans wore gold chains to boost repertoires The only link I need is in a word connection Serves as a fresh one, rhymin’ in the shower be the best one” Edan surveys many topics in his albums, but the obvious theme is that he just wants to have fun. And surprise, surprise, it comes at the expense at almost no one. Maybe wack MC’s get attacked more than other groups, but they are open targets that should study artists like Edan who claim they are good and then back it up with substantive words. Listen to Open Mike Eagle’s Dark Comedy if you want a 2014 version of hilarity. The years after Pac and Biggie were murdered saw the cycle of hip hop turning inward to reflect upon what brought about these great losses to an age when rhymes celebrated a life of financial aspirations, excessive consumerism, branding, self-promotion with a self-absorbing, sensationalistic, individualistic look-at-me stance. Bad Boy’s “All About the Benjamins” and similar tracks from the “Bling, Bling” era (Thank you Cash Money Millionaires!) had taken a strong root with radio. Nevertheless, the early 2000’s did usher in a strong independent revival with Rawkus Records acts like Mos Def and Talib Kweli, as well as Rhymesayers acts like Atmosphere and Brother Ali, among a whole host of other intelligent mc’s with more issues at hand than bowing down to the demands of corporate radio executives. (#$@% the radio!) Edan’s music isn’t the holy grail of this era (Primitive Plus and Sprain your Tapedeck EP 2002), but it is definitely worth revisiting with the knowledge that his messages and music were bucking against a huge trend of building up a stable of cars and cash. On his pseudonym track, “Humble Magnificent”, he addresses those with subpar lyrical skills. “Various, hilarious, embarrassing comparisons, mandatorily splatter stories, I’m in no category.” Edan is definitely in a different category than his contemporaries and his work deserves more recognition than it received at the time of its release. I only discovered it 2013 and now consider “Emcee’s Smoke Crack” among one of my favorite tracks. Songs to listen to: “Emcee’s Smoke Crack”, “Funky Voltron”, “Key-Bored”, “#1 Hit Record”. Mixtape to listen to while cleaning the house or cooking a good meal: Echo Party He is also playing with Paten Locke at a currently sold-out concert to open up for the headliners Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow at the Mezzanine on 10/4. For a taste of the concert, search ChoiceCuts Live: Edan & Paten Locke. Watch vimeo/39044933 youtu.be/B1ZZOIg30Y4
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 03:33:49 +0000