various In Living The True Gods media
There have been others before them, Mo Wax, Lex and more recently Def Jux, but stylistically Stones Throw records remain unchallenged in contemporary Hip hop. Embracing the concept of a ‘whole package’ in an era where you can rip a single quicker than it takes to tear the cellophane off a CD case.
After it’s 10 year anniversary in 2006, 2007 was a relatively quiet year for the West coast resident save for a few reissues (Champion Sound, Ruff Draft), Madlib’s Eastern experimentations and the dope Chrome Children Vol. 2.
But 2008 promises to be a big year, starting with Percee P’s long awaited debut LP ‘Perseverance’ and the forthcoming Guilty Simpson album, but before that we have the dramatically titled ‘In Living The True Gods’ DVD.
A follow up to the first DVD anthology, ‘Stones Throw 101’ was a taster for those unfamiliar with the labels ground breaking videos, ‘In Living..’ keeps to ST’s relentlessly creative pursuits. ‘Accordion’, perhaps the finest fruition of Madvillain, gets its first visual outing, featuring an accordion player and Doom in a dimly lit corridor in a dingy apartment block. There are no fancy camera techniques or editing employed, it is what it is. Like a begrudgingly great poet, Doom has a gift for making the humdrum of everyday life seem poignant or sublime. Many of the other videos are animated; from J Dilla’s nautical dream like adventure turned sour in ‘Nothing Like This’, to the Orwellian inspired ‘Monkey Suite’ and the stoned hyper colour of Quasimoto’s ‘Bullyshit’.
Dilla fans will be pleased by the inclusion of a rare interview shot in Holland, where he speaks briefly about his problems with MCA Records, the genealogy of Jaylib and his own creative process. But for me the most fascinating, and endearing, feature is the Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf ‘Studio Time 92’ piece where PB Wolf is interviewed in the present looking back over old footage. Shot prior to their Hollywood Basics deal the young duo are hyped about recording in a $25-a-day studio with an engineer that looks suspiciously like Howard Stern. A must for all Stones Throw aficionados.
Like a begrudgingly great poet, Doom has a gift for making the humdrum of everyday life seem poignant or sublime.
- Kane
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