Category Archives: Hip Hop

You’re So Ugly

20 January, 2009 Brian Mc Leave a comment

In celebration of the re-mastered, re-packaged, re-release of Atmosphere‘s God Loves Ugly, an email was sent my way…

With today’s release of the re-issue of the Atmosphere classic God Loves Ugly we thought we’d give you an opportunity to show off your own ugly mug at www.youresougly.com. Upload a picture or take one with your webcam and just like that you’ll have your very own God Loves Ugly cover. Share it with your friends, add it as your social networking profile picture or print it off and use it as a brand new cover for your repackaged, remastered and uglier than ever God Loves Ugly CD. Now get over to www.youresougly.com and start uglying up the place!

I admit it is a humorous concept idea giving fans a change to emulate their own face where Slug‘s originally is, but I just couldn’t do it. I did find a few that were posted on the site that humored me though:

If you have not heard of Atmosphere I do want to let you know they are a surfacing one time independent underground hip hop duo. If you are not into hip hop then you should just move on, but if you do like hip hop they are an act you should know about already.

I have adored Atmosphere since I first checked out God Loves Ugly when it debuted. At the time I worked at an underpaying under appreciated record store and a copy was put in front of me by a co-worker. He told me to take it home and listen to it. I was hooked immediately and have loved every release by the duo since.

With there independent success Atmosphere had a high underground fan base. It was almost a treat of sorts to know who they were and to be a fan as they were unknown in the mainstream. That soon changed for them as they were just that good.

Many former fans fell off the bandwagon as the duo achieved stardom with their slick beats and intelligent lyrics. Soon former fans were calling them sellouts and boycotting their future releases, I myself did not have a problem with their success and remained a fan. I was even fortunate enough to catch them at the 2006 Bonnaroo. I must say their set that day was a highlight of that hot, humid day.

They continue to be an impressive act to follow and show no signs of slowing down with their 2008 release When Life Gives You Lemons…You Paint That S@#t Gold. Again, there were some folk calling them sellouts and saying how terrible the album was compared to their underground material, but to each their own. I like the old and the new.

Now that God Loves Ugly has been reissued you have a chance to see what they used to sound like before the spotlights took aim.

Check out the following to pick up a copy for yourself:
Fifth Element Online
Buy God Lives Ugly @ Amazon.Com

Video anyone???

90's, Hip Hop, Music, Music Video, Punk, Rap, Rock, Times Of Yore

Times Of Yore: DINK

30 November, 2008 Brian Mc 1 Comment

So I am slacking on updating here with good quality reading material. My apologies. It was Thanksgiving weekend you know…. I know not a good enough excuse…

Anyways, let’s talk about the gem I came across recently, rather…a few weeks ago. Well actually let’s clear that up by saying my friend John hooked me up with a CD I loved from the past (read on for an explanation) so I guess I was handed the gem.

Where was I? Oh yeah…

It all started when I tried to buy a CD from the Ex-(we’d never fire you after xmas)-change in Kent last month. I was looking for something I have not listened to in a while, something completely random. As I was shopping in Kent I could not help but to think of a certain alt-industrial act from Kent that had a small taste of success. The band was Dink.

As soon as I came to the decision that I would leave that music shop with a Dink CD in hand I went searching for it and found nothing. The CD that comes through the store a lot according to a certain pal who works there just ao happened to be out of stock at the time. I managed to find the Blame It On Tito EP that Dink released but after getting home I realized the wrong CD was in it…

Fail.

My buddy John who hung out with me later in the week confessed that he had an extra copy of the CD and gave it to me after finding out I was having a hard time finding it.

Score.

Dink was not around for a very long time but they sure are not a band many have forgotten about. Hailing from Kent, OH the band formed in 1992 and stood out from may of the bands at that time combining elements of industrial metal, hip hop style (mainly excessive samples), and alt punk sounds.

The first time I heard them I was an instant fan. In 1994 the band released their debut self-titled CD under Capitol Records. To me it was a fine mix of bands like Ministry with the industrial feel and Faith No More with the rock jam. At times the lead singer even sang like Mike Patton.

Included on that CD was a song called “Green Mind” that was the band’s big commercial hit. I to this day still listen to the track once in a while. The song, produced by Skinny Puppy‘s Dave Ogilvie, was really the only success the band tasted. The video for “Green Mind”, which I need to mention my good friend Kevin can be seen in it for a brief moment, debuted on MTV’s 120 Minutes. The band was actually discovered by Capitol Records as the track was played contently on a Cleveland radio station program, 107.9 The End’s Inner Sanctum (recently resurrected on Cleveland’s 92.3).

After Dink was released the band recorded some more songs for a follow up CD that would never be released as Capitol Records dropped the band due to a change in the music scene (some of the tracks can be found on the Blame It On Tito EP). Industrial apparently was not “in” anymore and the record label said bye bye to the talented band. With no record deal the band called it quits.

Sucks to see such a talented band just stop because they were let go. I would be very interested in hearing some of the unreleased material that may still be out there. Rumor has it there are 3 cassettes worth of demos floating around out there that the band sold at their local shows before they made it big. I wonder if any of the original band members continued with a musical career or if they just all called it quits and ended their short stint of fame?

Hopefully I will find out one day.

Until then, enjoy the “Green Mind” video:

The voice at the beginning of the video is none other than Ohio’s most overheard rightwing car salesman Bob Serpentini.

Here is an interview I found while surfing the net with an unamed member of Dink. Pretty interesting read.

DIY, Hip Hop, Live Shows, Music, Music Video

MC Chris Putting On The Brakes???

26 November, 2008 Brian Mc 1 Comment

I saw this yesterday on one of MC Chris‘s daily bulletins on MySpace (click the picture to go to his MySpace profile):

Looks like the one man show is going to be taking a break. Rightfully so, the guy has been touring mad crazy ever since I have first heard about him. In the last 3 years I have seen him 3 times and was supposed to see him just a few weeks ago but could not get off of work.

Are you wondering who I am talking about? The best way to describe MC Chris is nerdcore even though the artist tries his hardest to stay away from that scene. Nerdcore is hip hop beats with nerdy lyrics. Imagine a sweet beat layed with rhymes about Star Wars or robot dogs and you have a hint of nerdcore. Mind you not all of MC Chris’ songs are in fact nerdcore, but still many associate him with it. Aside from songs MC Chris also likes to throw in a few little comedy skits and trust me some of it is hilarious. It’s hit or miss, you love it or hate it, and of course I love it.

The one thing I admire about the man is that he has done it all by himself. He used to work on the Adult Swim show Sealab 2021 as well as on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and opted to leave to persue his own passion, music. He tours with just a merch guy and handles everything himself. One man show indeed.

He has released 6 CDs since 2001 and not one has been on a record label. He is an internet addict posting blogs daily and is very personal with his fans. I love reading his blogs as he just talks about random things from dates he went on to the newest Xbox 360 game he got sucked in to. He is real and does not act like a rock star at all. Yet another reason why I like this guy so much.

Hearing he is taking a break is good and bad at the same time. It’s good because I know he was at one time was trying to have his own show of sorts on Adult Swim. Details about his project are unclear but I know it will be entertaining as his music.

Also if you are wondering what Black Friday 2 is, it is MC Chris’ sale of the year for his merch on his very own website. Head over to www.mcchris.com if you want to buy some gear at pretty good prices.

Here’s a bad quality video I took at him at one of the shows I was at (WARNING: Cussing Will Happen):

To clarify what was going on in the video: There was a drunk kid who was being drunk and dumb and MC Chris asked the kid to come up on stage and stand in the corner. When said drunk kid kept dancing and mocking the main act, MC Chris helped the kid exit the building. The quality of the video was crap, but it should give you a small taste of the sold out show that night…

Funny, Hip Hop, Metal, Music, Music Video, New Release, Random, Rap

Flying High…Literally

22 October, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

This little update comes from inside a Delta airplane (of course it was posted after we landed). I imagine I am currently over Georgia or Louisiana right about now. I am pleased to say I have enough leg room where I can ramble on for a minute here on the good ol’ laptop. Thank supernatural being of your choice for emergency exit seats!

After playing around with my iPod on what seemed like an endless disappointing shuffle play I have found an album I intend to listen from start to finish.

So what am I listening to?

2Pac/Makaveli – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory – 10^th Anniversary Edition

That’s right folks, I am dipping into some 90’s gangsta rap and loving every second of it. Enjoying a surplus of thug life lyricism, this album brings back some memories. Mostly of the days where all I wanted to do was listen to rap music and thump some bass in my Olds Cutlass Calais. I was far from gangster but just loved the beats and the bass. It was a good sound.

2Pac was brought to my attention when I started hanging out with a new crowd after a lot of my friends went to college. Tupac Shakur just has that smooth rap flow and brilliant writing skills like no other. He was way ahead of his time in the 90’s and of course his life was cut short… He still lives on. There is no doubt in my mind that he is one of the most important icons in the rap music history.

So while I am stuck in the plane where I could be listening to something a little more calming, tracks like “Bonnie & Clyde” and “Live & Die In LA” have been thumping in my ears… I still know most of the lyrics too…good times.

90's, Hip Hop, Live Shows, Music, Pop, Random, Rock

Beastie Boys and special guests to play Youngstown, OH 10-29-2008

15 October, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Thanks to my pal Matt (who I seem to thank a lot) I learned that the Beastie Boys are coming to Youngstown, OH on 10/29/2008 with special guests Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper, and Norah Jones.

The Beastie Boys are counting on you to rock the vote this year.

This is the first time the Beasties have even come close touring in Cleveland since 1998. I saw them last year and even got to interview them at the Virgin Mobile Tour. I have to saw they are still awesome. My interview was not much of an interview as much as us just shooting the you know what… I really need to post that on here one day. Their live show was incredible. It was my third time seeing them live.

So now I am trying to figure out if I should go… I have so much going on late October. Decisions decisions… Pre-sale starts tomorrow at 10am. Password is VOTE. Go to their website for more info.