More Chops

Here are a few more Chops produced tracks:

'We Breakin' Up' - Chamillionaire (from 'Ultimate Victory', 2007)

'I Get It In' ft. Bra Hef & San Quinn - Keak Da Sneak (from 'Deified', 2008)

'Damn I'm Cold' ft. Lil' Wayne - Bun B (from 'II Trill', 2008)

Chops and Mountain Brothers

This holiday I checked out 'Triple Crown' by Mountain Brothers. It's a pretty good album from a group considered to be "cultural pioneers, being one of the first Asian American hip-hop groups, and also for the lack of sampling of other music in construction of their own."

Since 2003 the producer of the group, Chops, has gone on to make a name for himself in the Hip Hop scene. He produced three tracks on ODB's posthumous release 'Osirus' and has produced for Hiero, Grand Agent, Princess Superstar (!), Panda One, Bun B (which featured Lil' Wayne), Young Jeezy, Chamillionaire and Keak Da Sneak. Forthcoming production work will feature E-40 and Paul Wall.

Those who have been keeping up with the British Hip Hop scene (ie those who buy CDs and read the liner notes) will have noticed that Chops also produced 'Stereo', a track on Sway's 'The Signature LP'. His current sound is that typical dirty south sound whereas the Mountain Brothers stuff is more straight up Hip Hop.

Check these Chops productions out:

Mountain Brothers - 'Microphone Phenomenal'

Mountain Brothers - 'I'm Talkin' 'Bout YOU!'

Mountain Brothers - 'The Roli Rho Show'

Sway - 'Stereo'

ODB - 'Go Go Go' ft. Blahzay Blahzay

ODB - 'Down South'

ODB - 'If Y'all Want War'

And if you want more (as opposed to war), check back soon, I'll up some more Chops productions.

In which I have hope for mainstream Hip Hop

I had decided to do this post before I heard this track but when I heard it yesterday it really summed up my thinking:

Kero One - Check The Blueprints

To sum his song up he's urging the Hip Hop community, particularly the artists, to look at how Hip Hop should be. He sees importance in analysing what made Hip Hop great in the 80's and 90's, taking those findings and applying it to making new music. Obviously this could lead to music sounding the same and being stuck in the past but what I hope to prove in ten tracks is that this might not be the case but that it actually might be the way forward. Many of these tracks are examples of how cats from back in the day have had to step up to the plate again to show the world how it should be done. I hope artists take note.

Guilty Simpson - Man's World (Produced by J Dilla)

J Dilla was a producer who really took inspiration from the culture of sampling in the 90's.

Q-Tip - Work It Out.mp3

Everyones favourite Tribin' ear cleaner is back and I'd be happy hearing this on the radio.

WC - Voodoo ft. The Game

That West Coast sound still does it for me.

Termanology - So Amazing (Produced by DJ Premier)

Sounding like Premo always does is not actually a bad thing and Termanology entertains.

DJ Jazzy Jeff - The Garden ft. Big Daddy Kane

Two Old School cats bring the freshness.

Mr. J. Medeiros - Silent Earth

This sounds 90's-ish due to it's feel good vibes and sampling.

Marco Polo - Nostalgia ft. Masta Ace

(Old guy + New guy) x 90's influences = good Hip Hop

KRS-One & Marley Marl - Hip Hop Lives

Old guy + Old guy - rivalry = good Hip Hop

Chamillionaire - Hip-Hop Police ft. Slick Rick

When I played this to my brother, he asked "Is this Chamillionaire?", I said "Yes, how can you tell?", he replied "Becasue it sounds like 50 Cent but without the mumbling" - or something like that. Slick Rick is funny. This is probably the most out of place choice here but I do like it.

One more to finish off with:

Jeru the Damaja - One Day

This is a nice short imaginary story personifying Hip Hop and telling of the day when it was kidnapped by the likes of Puff Daddy (or whatever ridiculous moniker he' going under today). Don't worry though, they get Hip Hop back safe and sound.

Download all the tracks here in a zippedy doo dah file.