Low-Life | UK Hip Hop Story | Various Artists - Pushrap.co.uk Compilation CD [Pushrap]

Intro

Early Doors:
1979-1985

False Dawn:
1985-1990

Underground Years:
1990-1995

The Renaissance:
1995- 2000

The Future:
2000 & Beyond

Artists &
Discographies

Various Artists - Pushrap.co.uk Compilation CD [Pushrap]

Tracklist:
01. The Authors - Eyezofman & A-Bomb feat.Cappo (speechferapy.com)
02. United By Flows(Windows78 Remix) - LATE feat.PQ & Size8 (wolftownrecordings.com - camouflage-records.co.uk )
03. What You Got - Split (mcsplit.co.uk)
04. Blueberry Dreamhaze - Apocraphe feat.Cappo & Scorzayzee (mainrockrecords.com)
05. A Day In The Life - Marlon Brandy (brandyman.co.uk)
06. Stink Business - Non-Thespian (non-thespian.com)
07. Enter The Lyrical Dragon - Gemini feat.Hard Livin (lyrical-dragon.co.uk)
08. Set This Off Straight - Dap-C feat.A-Bomb,Shakespearz,Ark Angel & Swordswinger (dap-c.com)
09. Voyage - theELEMENTZ ft. Scorzayzee (dealmakerrecords.com)
10. Cock Idols - Pedigree Chumps (pedigree-chumps.co.uk)
11. Heinous - The JVF Clique (jvfradio.com)
12. Hip Hop World - Hard Livin (hard-livin.co.uk)
13. Handle Yourz - Explicit (explicitukhh.cjb.net)
14. Psychonauts - Iron Bridge (ironbridgerecords.com)
15. Theme Music - Baron Samedi (mainrockrecords.com)
16. Jack Move - Frisko Dan (realtalkrecords.co.uk)
17. The Foreword - Irrational Number (soundclick.com/irrationalnumber)
18. Drum Skum - Starch Music (starchmusic.co.uk)
19. Pushrap - Marlon Brandy,MC BC,Gemini,Universon & S.Kalibre (pushrap.co.uk)

The guys over at the Pushrap website are trying to what we all are and that is to try and promote this thing called UK Hip Hop. They, in my opinion are doing a pretty good job. Quietly getting on with their biz and building a network of artists who are prepared to work for each other. This CD is intended as a showcase for many unsigned acts in the hope that it will get them some exposure and hopefully lead on to bigger and better deals.

Included on the CD are a variety of artists at different stages in their career. Big names such as Scor Zay Zee and Cappo sit alongside people you might recognise, people like Baron Samedi from his numerous previous self distributed heavy tracks or Late who has been down with Wolftown from day one and Iron Bridge who had their Toilet Humour LP out recently. Internet heads will be aware of Marlon Brandy and maybe Dap-C, but there are also total unknowns, at least to me like Irrational Number and Frisko Dan.

What you would call an LP is 19 tracks deep and the opening track is suitably dope, no in fact it really is featuring the East Midlands trio of Eyezofman, A-Bomb and Cappo for the majorly orchestral, guitar and trumpet backed The Authors. Each of the MCs is strong and spits with their dope East Midlands accents. From this track the standard is set high and is hard to follow. The Wolftown posse make a stab at this, but the Windows 98 remix of United by Flows seems a bit lacking in comparison. Nice enough, the primarily percussion production is interesting and when PQ of the Social Misfits drops his flows lift this above basic.

Newcomer Split is up next with his What You Got, a track in which he asks what other artists have to offer and in his opinion this is severely lacking. Topics move into general life and he continues to ask what can the people involved in his life offer to him and are they being truthful to him? His time is money after all and he doesn't want to be wasting any of it. The production is a bit electronic and therefore doesn't appeal to me as some of the more sampled up contributions.

Main Rock records have been pushing out some hardcore ish recently and this stellar posse cut Blueberry Dreamhaze featuring Apocraphe, Cappo and Scorzilla is fat, but a touch more laid back than what we usually get. A 50's vocal harmony forms the relaxing backing and gives each of the MCs room to verbalise in a fundamentally expressive manner.

For the first time I have heard Marlon Brandy I was suitably impressed. The backing is classic and gives Marlon's track A Day In The Life a timeless feel. The track is about the Day In A Life Of and average man and the fantastic loop and simple semi sung chorus just adds to the uniqueness of the vibe generated. Possibly one of the standout tracks on here.

Unfortunately I'm not overly feeling Non-Thespian as I just feel their sound is a touch dated and lacks some funk with the beats sounding particularly static. Stink Business doesn't really do anything to alter this opinion of mine, but respectacles to the crew for getting their shit together. Enter The Lyrical Dragon from Geminii and Hard Livin juxtaposes a aggy rap style over a mellow beat and as such rests a little uneasy on my ears, especially because of the ultra gruff chorus. Regardless the lyrical sentiments touch me and as the track progresses I warm to it more.

Voyage with production from the Elements and vocals from Scor Zay Zee is one track which requires repeated plays. The evocative horn and big beat compliments Sorz's immense lyrics and I just can't get enough of this. Conversely the humorous element is added by the Pedigree Chumps who are Manchester's Noz and CRF. Funny buggers they are and although on Cock Idol they have jokes and great one liners to drop they can occasionally manage to get some serious thoughts out there and do it all over classic production.

The JVF Clique are new to my ears and their Heinous track shows a great deal of potential and should be a crew to look out for in the future. Hard Livin', as they do drop a tasty morsel with Hip Hop World which has a great acoustic guitar backing. Not quite as nice as their Ohh Girl track, by never the less these guys come correct and represent for everyone as they describe their ideal world where the best of Hip Hop is to be found everywhere and people who actually deserve it get big ups.

There is something about Iron Bridge that doesn't quite resonate with me and I can't really put my finger on it. The production on this track and for that matter most of their production ought to be heavy as all the elements are there and put together in a way that I would like, the lyrics are intelligently and coherently written. Perhaps it is the way they are delivered? Anyway, this track when broken down into its elements is heavy, just all together it didn't do it for me like some of the other tracks.

Baron Samedi has talent for days and here on Theme Music shows his ability to tailor a beat and rap to mesh together, rather than as some MCs do appear to rap a standard lyric over any beat without much regard to drops and beat progressions etc. Explicit drop a big bomb over a dark beat Handle Yourz which really compliments their delivery and is a bit of a surprise in how well they come over. Having done their thing on the web for a couple of years this is a great transition which although possibly not of the time or particularly fashionable at the moment this is heavy and needs recognition.

As the fantastic selection comes to an end the penultimate track Drum Skum form the Starch Music crew increases the intensity with some verbals that are spat with the utmost in emotion and feeling. The production is sparse and slow and as such is ideal for allowing the MCs to shine. To round off this immense offering the final track entitled Pushrap is a posse cut featuring Marlon Brandy, MC BC, Gemini, Universon and S. Kalibre which in suitable manner the MCs express their disappointment at the lack of support in the industry for what they do, but are uplifting with their ideals of doing this independently and making whatever they can of the music game off their own backs.

The CD is compiled by Mike S from the Hard Livin' crew who are showing that they have the skills and desire to do big things in this game. The Pushrap website was down for quite a while back there, but it appears to be back with a new design but the same networking imperative. Make sure you pass by and try to pick up one of these in demand CDs because it is quality ya hear.

mailto:pushrap@hotmail.com
http://www.pushrap.co.uk