Styly Cee & Cappo - Fallout/Crazy Freaks (Video)

Here's a video for 2 of the strongest tracks off The Fallout LP. A step in budget from some of Cap's previous vids, nice to see.

"What I'm throwing down is them crow-bars"

Cappo & Styly Cee - The Fallout (review)

"Hip-Hop is over here, catch a glimpse"

After waiting years for a follow up to Spaz The World, Cappo has waited only a year after the release of Genghis to drop The Fallout, this time bringing Styly Cee along for the ride. If you have heard either Genghis, or this pair's H-Bomb EP, you will know what to expect here. No guests, and absolutely no compromise. Cappo assaulting the boom-bap with rapid-fire, almost stream of consciousness lyricism, in that unmistakable Nottingham accent. It's also worth noting that this is the 50th release for veteran label, Son Records. In the UK scene, this is significant longevity.

Possessing so strong a formula proves to be both a gift and curse on The Fallout. When everything gells together though, the results can't be argued with. This is definitively the case on opening track Throwdown, where Styly's hectic drum patterns provide the perfect backdrop for Cappo to lay down what the press release describes as "weapons grade" lyricism. In fact, the drums are something of a feature of this LP, with both Styly and his father popping up to provide live drums on a couple of the tracks, keeping the energy levels high in the process.

It is therefore very noticeable when the standard of production dips, as it does on 'Yo Ass', where the very sparse drums seem to attempt to recapture a mid-80s sound. This track isn't helped by a rather irritating scratched chorus either. When this is immediately followed by another disappointing effort in 'Regenerate', which features a beat already heard on Genghis, the drawback of Capps and Styly's formula becomes apparent. When not firing on all cylinders, the combination of minimalist beats and the lack of variety in Capp's delivery and cadence can come up with tracks that are somewhat bland musically. Especially when you take into consideration the fact that the subject matter rarely deviates from coming up with (admittedly usually fairly creative) ways of describing how far ahead of the comp you are.

It doesn't take the LP much time to get back on track though. The previously mentioned live drums raise the temperature on 'Music Makers Revenge' and 'Market Square' (titled in homage to the centrepoint of Nottingham's city centre), and Styly successfully brings a more electronic sound than might have been expected from him on 'Crunch Time' and 'Thought Apache'. I would also recommend that you search the bandcamp page for the free 4 Minute Warning EP, that dropped as a warm up for this LP. The 2 tracks featured would have been very welcome inclusions here, particularly the soulful vocal sample of The Drifter, which would have provided a welcome change of pace somewhere in the middle of this album, and it's a shame that it didn't make the cut.

Overall, The Fallout delivers what is expected of it. Some gimmick-free music to snap your neck to, from a veteran 1 MC/1 producer team. I would only temper that by saying that Genghis covered very similar ground, and in my opinion is the stronger album of the two.

7.5/10

Styly Cee & Cappo - The Fallout - single

Here is a brand new single from Styly Cee & Cappo, which will be the title track off their upcoming album. The album is a follow up to 2008's H-Bomb EP, and if this track is anything to go by, then we can expect very similar material to that EP.

Styly Cee - Notts Vintage EP

Thought I'd better bring this to everyone's attention pretty quickly, as it is a limited edition, with just 150 produced. This new 6 track 12" on Son Records from Nottingham's Styly Cee contains some previously unreleased gems from the archives that were recorded between 2000 and 2003. Featured on Styly's beats are fellow Nottingham legends Cappo, Scorzayzee, Lee Ramsey & Midnyte. If you buy the vinyl, then you also get a 14 track download, which includes the 6 tracks on the 12", plus 8 other previously released Styly Cee tracks featuring Nottingham MCs. The pick of these is probably Scorzayzee's excellent 'Want What's Yours'.

Tracklist for the extended 14 track download:

1. The Sound

2. Serpico Raps feat Cappo

3. Kofi's Night feat. Midnyte

4. Want What's Yours feat. Scorzayzee

5. Joyrider feat. C-Mone

6. The Test Match feat. Cappo

7. Times When It's Good feat. Midnyte

8. Not From Round Here feat. Scorzayzee

9. Hustle feat. Midnyte

10. All Stylz Anthem feat. Karizma & Midnyte

11. No Trust feat. Lee Ramsey

12. No Pain, No Gain feat. Cappo & Scorzayzee

13. No Pills, No Frills feat. Midnyte

14. In Ya Area feat. Midnyte & Cappo

Purchase the EP from Styly's bandcamp page:

notts-vintage

Styly Cee - One Under The Sun feat. The Anthropologist (Free Download)

Nice little freebie here, from Notts' Styly Cee, featuring The Anthropologist of Son Records labelmates Def Tex. Styly hasn't been heard from since The H-Bomb EP with Cappo a couple of years back. This is all you'd expect from a Styly Cee production, dope loop, crunchy drums and slick cuts on the hook. Niceness.

Available to download from his bandcamp page:

one-under-the-sun

'The Unwritten Rule' - Styly Cee & Cappo (video)

'The Dirty Helmet Sessions' - Pitman (album review)

Haha! Pitman is back! Son Records’ most wacky creation brings you a back catalogue of tracks from a 12 year period of between times mentalness from real life man Styly Cee.

With 6 of the 10 tracks being previously unreleased, the hardcore fans of Hip Hop’s most rappin’est coal miner won’t be disappointed. In fact, no-one should feel let down – jokes, of a kind, flow freely. ‘Phone Pitman 2’, ‘It Takes Tea’, ‘Latin Bingo’ and ‘Jungle Pit ‘97’ are the 4 tracks that have already made their way onto 7” vinyl. ‘Phone Pitman 2’ lambastes Jamie Oliver, whack MCs, Jay Z, Elton John, Craig David, Vocoders (very apt for now), Nelly (the elephant) and Gary Glitter. ‘It Takes Tea’ takes off the Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock track wonderfully – it’s a banger, and it’s hilarious!

Of the unheard tracks there’s plenty more hilarity to be had with way too many quotes to mention. ‘The Breaks’ sees Pitman commentating on a load of classic funk breaks and ‘Words 2’ is a perfect example of Pitman’s how his mind wanders from one thing he thinks is crap to another – like James Blunt. He even imparts advice from a book what ees got on ‘Bright Side of the Fence’.

‘The Dirty Helmet Sessions’ is out on the 16th February on Son Records.

'The H-Bomb EP' - Styly Cee & Cappo (12" EP review)

“Can we listen to something else? This is too hectic”. Hectic: a word that sums up Cappo and Styly Cee’s latest collaborative outing, a limited pressing 3 track slab of wax entitled ‘The H-Bomb EP’. H-Bomb: another accurate term of description. This is explosive, in the way that Public Enemy were on many of their heaviest tracks; expect an ear-battering session reminiscent of the rap releases of the late 80’s.

In fact it draws together a few influences, some may hear Rza and the Wu-Tang, some Rick Rubin and his many MCs, some the Bomb Squad, some the Young MC-esque releases of days gone by. Whatever it is you hear, it’s bound to evoke nostalgia and in a climate of some pretty lame, spiritless versions of Hip Hop, this is more than a good thing. In a wistful way this is invigorating.

Styly Cee does update the old sounds though, in many ways the production here is mature and professional compared to its roots – it’s suitable for this century and is more than a re-hash of aged ideas. Cappo harnesses the angst of street commentators both modern and traditional, and with a Nottingham lilt he supplies the necessary other half to Styly Cee’s weighty sonics.

As far as I know, and my knowledge has considerable distance (but do correct me if I’m wrong), no-one in the UK is running things quite like this and the ability to rise above the sea of sameness is everything right now. Cappo and Styly Cee; we salute you, for you rocked.

'The H-Bomb EP' is out on November 10th on Son Records but can be bought with pounds at places like this and this now!