Phi-Life Cypher - 2,3 Break (video)

New video here from UK veterans Phi-Life Cypher. Exactly what you'd expect here, an energetic beat from Nappa, and rapid fire lyrics from Life and Si-Philli.

Apparently this is taken from a forthcoming album from the group called The Professionals. No date announced yet for what would be their first group album since Higher Forces in 2005...

'Hip Hop Hype Dog Compilation Vol. 1' - VA (free download)

Hip Hop Hype Dog have just dropped their first compilation. The free download features 28 tracks of Hip Hop from the UK but with a few US representatives thrown in for good measure.

The thing that gets me going about this compilation is that, nestled inbetween tracks and artists I'm familiar with already, there are a few new bits. Vice and Mister D's 'On My Mind', Capital R's 'I Represent (for Hip Hop)' and Sicnis's 'Get Better' all fall into this catergory - dope, fresh and new.

The tracks that you may have heard before are all quality too - if you didn't pick up the LPs they belong to then you'll be wanting to after this. Kyza's 'Murderman' (from 'S.O.S'), Micall Parknsun's 'Bang' (featuring Jehst), Asaviour and IQ's 'Complicity' featuring Kashmere and loads more are examples of tunes taken from brilliant releases.

MC Life's 'Hard 2 Spit' produced by DJ Nappa is not a track I remember from elsewhere and it's a really dope and excellent inclusion. The Americans are represented by Elzhi, Raekwon (and some of his famous mates) and MF Doom - only quality MCs. With other tracks from Ty, LDZ, Kelakovski, Farma G, Chester P, Orphans of Cush, Truth, SonnyJim, Kosyne, M9, Delusionists and more you'd be foolish not to get this for free.

Life MC New Album News

Here's a new Life MC track. It features Skuff of 'Delegates of Culture and the production is by the Krate Krusaders. Life MC has an new album out soon entitled 'Life Beyond Rap' which features Ill Bill, Chester P, Si Phili, Skuff and Inja and of course with beats by DJ Nappa.

Life - Outside Looking In Album Review

After just one or two minutes of listening to ‘Outside Looking In’ Life’s voice is instantly recognisable as THE sound of Phi-Life Cypher. In the same amount of time Life and Nappa set the tone for the entire CD; this is an introduction in the truest sense of the word.

Lyrically this album has something to say; actually it has lots to say. Serious topics such as first hand experience of our prison system, religious misunderstanding, war and peace, the devil and money all come under Life’s thoughtful microscope. The spiritual and political musings of rappers are usually ignored; they generally are half formed ideals or opinions that serve no purpose. Life is an exception; credible arguments and reasoning prove that these are issues he is serious about. If you were looking for an album to have a mindless party with, then continue your search, this CD deserves deep thought

It’s not just the content of the lyrics that is great; Life’s poetical-but-not-contrived rhymes are jaw dropping and his energetic delivery flawless. No-one raps quite like Life and having originality and uniqueness scores many points in this saturated world of rap.

Not a single beat on this CD can be faulted; DJ Nappa is a wizard who works his magic with what I imagine to be endless crates of ultra-sample-able vinyl. Soul and Prog-Rock seem to be the main ingredients for a spell binding, soulful yet very heavy, array of beats. The close partnership of Nappa and Life is evident; it’s easy to see how Nappa’s beats have prompted Life’s heartfelt lyrics and (probably) vice-versa. This CD furthers my conviction that working with one main producer really does proffer great results. The bonus CD is a collection of 28 classic, re-worked and exclusive Life instrumentals produced by DJ Nappa and Mr. Thing and is perfect for all those aspiring MC’s out there who want to write a verse to a Nappa track.

My only criticism is that scratched samples are used to provide a ‘chorus’ far too often. When Life does write a chorus, it’s pretty catchy (on Soldiers for example) so it’s a wonder that on this release he relies so heavily on Nappa’s collection of (often quite irrelevant) US Hip Hop acapellas. Typically a chorus gives a track a big chunk of individuality and as a result of the employment of the scratched samples some tracks lack identity and rely only on the strong lyrical content and beats.

Stand out tracks are ‘Bad Minds’, ‘Peace’, ‘Prison’, ‘Hands Up’ and ‘Right in Your Face’ but the album as a whole stands out from a mass of recent Hip Hop releases, it has been a pleasure to listen to a CD of this standard. At 20 tracks (plus 28 on CD 2) long any Phi-Life Cypher or Life MC fan will definitely feel like they’ve got their money's worth. ‘Outside Looking In’ will be available on Zebra Traffic on 3rd March; check out the Etch shop to get your copy.

Life - Bomb Propaganda (Clean)
Life - Hands Up (Clean)
Life - Peace (Clean)
Life/DJ Nappa - Sound of The Beast (Clean)

2008

Wow! February 2008 came fast! I don't know what your view on Hip Hop in 2007 was; mine was on the whole a good one. If you were looking to the world of mainstream, big record label Hip Hop then you probably entered 2008 slightly jaded. The major releases of 2007 were dissapointing: 50 Cent pretty much proved he hasn't got 'it' any more, Kanye West still thinks he is 'it'; his ego spoilt his release which wasn't as good as his previous efforts anyway and Jay-Z, despite genius marketing moves and use/abuse of his position still didn't provide us with an album anywhere near as classic as The Black Album. If you looked just under the surface then there were plenty of good releases and most of you probably heard and bought at least one album that you will always listen to.

Many people will be looking to 2008 as some sort of saviour for Hip Hop. 2007 seemed to be a lost cause right from the very beginning but it needn't have been if hopes had not been set on the major releases. If the focus of anticipation had been directed to the more minor, underground releases then last year would have been more fulfilling for more people.

This year I suggest you look to music more local to you. The internet is great for hearing everything that's out there but it cannot provide the sense of belonging that music that is more relevant to you can. Yes, the US created Hip Hop, it is Hip Hop's homeland but there is very little I can relate to at the moment. The beats are not to my taste although I guess if I resided in the Bay Area I would 'get' the whole hyphy thing or if I was from Miami then I would like bass music, but I'm not so I don't. The lyrical content of much US rap has worn thin but what I do still relate to are skills and this is why there is still US rap that I listen to.

In contradiction to the last paragraph's opening sentence, if you are not local to the UK then you should be looking to the UK. Just as people can relocate, musical genres can too. Hip Hop lives on in the UK. So what can you expect from us in the coming year?

Life MC of Phi-Life Cypher will be dropping an album on Zebra Traffic in March. I'm surprised at myself for not mentioning this before but Phi-Life Cypher's album, 'Higher Forces', is one of my top 2 UK Hip Hop albums; it's awesome. Look out here for a review of the new Life album and an inteview with the man himself. Also, I really should tell you some more about 'Higher Forces' so keep 'em peeled for that too.

Silent Soundz is probably the only UK label giving Low Life Records a run for it's money. Their roster of artists is incredible: Skitz, Kool G Rap, Yungun & Mr. Thing, Verb T & The Last Skeptic, Blind Alphabetz, First Man Productions and Brotherman. The 3rd of March should see the release of Brotherman’s debut single - a double A-side called Heart of Dem/Bollox. April should then see the release of a double EP project from which will be two EPs sold separately that can be joined together to form one plush package. Together it is called The Dark & The Light (stay tuned here for more on Brotherman). SS are also releasing Skitz’s second producer album, the follow up to 'Countryman' which will drop in Q2. This is entitled 'Sticksman' and features most of the big UK emcees plus Masta Ace, Wordsworth and Kardinal Offishall. The Kardi single will be released in Q1, probably end of March. It is called Struggla and also features Rodney P and Skibadee with D&B remixes by Ruff Cut. Not only are they releasing these big UK joints but they should also be releasing “Long Live G Rap” by Kool G Rap in Q2, an album which features Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep, Canibus, Saigon and Sean Price among others. Other than that they’ve got a digital only single from Blind Alphabetz, track TBC, which will feature a Jehst remix of Change as a bonus track. Phew...

Lex records are a label to watch too; last year they released one of my favourite albums 'Romance Ain't Dead' by Kid Acne and the much lauded 'Craft of the Lost Art' by Shape of Broad Minds. Previous releases include more of my very favourites - 'Ghetto Pop Life' by Dangermouse and Jemini, 'The Mouse and the Mask' by DangerDoom (now that's US Hip Hop I CAN listen to!). Although they don't have any UK Hip Hop releases slated for this year they are releasing a Khujo Goodie (of The Goodie Mob)/ Jneiro Jarel (of Shape of Broad Minds) collaboration. Guests on the album are the other big Dungeon Family members and it should be out September. A single, 'OPR8R' featuring Khujo Goodie is out this spring, with a UK tour getting sorted around the release time. Now that Ghostface has done his time with DefJam Lex may be able to finally release the Ghostface & Doom album and Indecision at Boombox Distribution tells me Dangermouse has a follow up album to 'Ghetto Pop Life' called 'Kill Your Heroes' which is apparantly a concept album about living a pimps lifestyle on a budget. Again I've contradicted myself but I totally trust Lex as tastemakers, if they release it and it's from the US then it's probably very relevant to the UK market. Also every bit of Lex artwork and packaging totally kicks bottom!

Other things to look forward to that I don't have as much information about are:

• 'The Signature LP', the new album from Sway, is supposedly to be released in May.
• Million Dan, the Demon Boyz UK legend, is working on an album release due for mid April (get the Suspect Packages re-issue of 'Recognition' now and check the Spektrum Ride/Mic Chek 12" for something a little more up to date.)
• 'Food For Da Brain Second Serving' - the last one featured the cream of UK's rap talent so the next one will be big too with a posse cut featuring Skinnyman, Harry Shotta, Shameless, Foreign Beggars & Deadly Hunta being the lead single.
• New Asaviour projects - check his newly released mixtape, buy 'Broken Ladder' if you don't have it and savour the great West Yorkshire accent.
• New albums from Dented - not sure who, could be Foreign Beggars, Dr. Syntax, Skrein (possible their collabo - Skreintax), Stig of the Dump...whoever it is, it'll be good.
• Bashy is releasing a DVD of all things 'Black Boys' related.
• Wretch 32 is releasing his album: Wretchrospective.

Whoa, well I never intended to write that much but I hope that if you're reading this bit you're looking forward with me to at least one of the above releases . Here's to 2008 and good Hip Hop.