From the guns and roses, palm trees and pistols to the sunshine and the rain, the sand and the streets, I love L.A. I almost don't go anywhere without my black/white Dodger cap. And that's not just for coastal recognition. I'm and avid Laker, Dodger, and (because they were once in L.A.) Rams/ Raiders/ Chargers fan. But one thing I find it difficult to enjoy as much as I do the ambiance and persona of the city is the music scene. Now don't get me wrong, I recognize, like I'm sure everyone does, especially those on the west coast, that there's an underground swelling to the top, akin to the west in the early 90's, the east in the mid 90's and the south in the 2000's. I'm just not a fan of flooding the market. There's already overcrowding in the rap industry in region's abroad. But I predict an increase in cutthroat acts since there simply is not enough pie to slice. I'm more than a regular part of the Spliff, I'm an integral and time-tested part. So I get to see the hoards of acts to come through the Rehab's archways. Not to mention the slew of rappers I hear from place to place;
à la the Knitting Factory, the Palmer Room, the Dakota Lounge (formerly the Temple Bar), etc., etc. To rate many of these acts, I'm pressed to give a C grade to about 60% of them. For me it founds my belief that music, or more specifically rap is something most people should not be doing. But because I'm a result oriented man here's my solution: you know how they have those sifters for good eggs and bad eggs? There you go. Build a Hip Hop version... Look, I don't see you coming up with any ideas but you know it's a problem. Due to this the lines are blurred between fans and artists. There's no denying that one of the major reasons for the significant drop in album sales is the fact that the cuts are being thinned. The interesting thing is rap musicians are still to this day trying to garner respect for the genre in the music world. There's no way to get that respect when you muddy the waters with people who aren't technically sound or at least talented. Once again being resulted oriented I'll be kind and help some of you out. Here's the rubric:
1. Flow - So underrated is the cadence and pattern you have on the beat. The way you work off of the beat's melody is critical to make your line/verse/song sonically appealing.
2. Timing - Flow is almost nothing minus meter. Having patience and knowing when to drop a word on the up or down beat (kick or snare) accents the fluidity of your flow.
3. Rhyme Scheme - Rhyming is the cornerstone of lyrics yet completely misguided in rap. "Cat, bat, hat" rhymes are played. If you can't go further than that you need put down the mic. A rhyme scheme specifically works with the flow of your line/verse/song. The golden ratio of syllables in a rhyme scheme is usual 3 per bar. I.e.: new sandbox/ too damn hot. (don't hate it's just an example)
4. Lyrics - Okay this for me brings about a pet peeve on so called "real hip hop" circles. You can't have too much flow, too much timing and you can get away with "too" much scheme to your rhyme; but being too "lyrical" is a automatic kill for a line/verse/song. Now if course you can be too basic but even with that your flow and timing can make it appealing. Jadakiss is a prime example of a rapper with perfect timing, consistent flow, who's not over lyrical. But many underground rappers have this tragic habit of believing that using words nobody but meta physicists use. If you are not a physicist or author of a dictionary ease up on the words Webster. And once that "cat, bat, hat" shit... cut that.
5. Truth - RAP YOUR LIFE. Done. Case closed.
The other is Lucien Pellat Finet (no translation). Lucien's work is very retro and edgy. The costumed nature of the his clothes seem as though they could fit the cast of a Rebel Without a Cause remake. The art is that nostalgic yet hip feel. Samples:
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