Some UK Heat

Miss Tofelees - 'How Long' ft Smokio - A pretty funny track based around a nice straight-foward rock sample. Miss Tofelees is a lady producer from Leeds and Smokio is a man rapper from the midlands. Every guy can relate to this; it's about girlfriends taking too long to get ready - "Get a move on, it's nearly Christmas".

Foreign Beggars - 'Hold On' (M-Phazes Remix) - The original is probably my favourite Foreign Beggars track and this one is just as nice, a little more chilled than the original but Orifice Vulgatron keeps it gully enough - "Are you reallyreallyreallyreally from the ends?".

Pitman - Witness The Pitness - Yup you guessed a 'version' of Roots Manuva's 'Witness (1 Hope)' by a coal miner. Simple eh? And probably the rudest and funniest man in UK Hip Hop too - "But I'm OK, I've got my toast//I'm going to me mam to get a Sunday roast".

Lewis Parker - Wonderwall - Recorded and released in 1995, it's a 'Wonderwall' cover.

Lewis Parker - Rooftop Drama and Lewis Parker - Night Vision - Both taken from his limited edition 'Sniper Beats' album. These are awesome tracks, the names sum them up perfectly so if you're an MC with no beat and a loss of inspiration, why not let Lewis Parker help? Concept tracks all the way.

'Music Game' ft. Blak Twang & Geejay - Dap C (single review)

He's a humble 'un that Dap-C. Not only did he let Reain and Stylah go first on 'Heaven' he's also let Blak Twang rap up front on 'Music Game'. Kindness or business savvy? Possibly the latter seeing as Blak Twang is one of the most prolific names in the UK Rap scene at this moment in time.

The concept of 'Music Game' is simple and it works well. Each MC chats about everyday employment whilst trying to succeed in the entertainment business. The accompanying video portrays Blak Twang as a painter and decorator, Dap-C as a barman down his local and Geejay as a park gardener giving a real insight into the poorly financed world of UK Rap. I've spoken to big name UK MC's who are still having to work their day jobs whilst at night they write, rap and record - far from the world of your 50 Cents, Akons and Kanye Wests. They also pick up on the theme of music-making as therapy and a deterent from a life of crime.

The sample used as a chipmunk chorus is perfect; " I got a little job, don't make much money" and if anyone can tell me where the sample comes from I'll be happy to hear, it's really bugging me! 'Music Game' has a nice throwback-ish, non-synthetic sound, the beat is steady and not crowdy rowdy and the bassline is just the sort I like.

'Music Game' is a semi-sun soaked track showcasing three MC's with different voices and interesting things to say. It's great light entertainment and deserves to be recognised as a good piece of Hip Hop. Fans should also heed the message - if we don't support the scene financially these MC's may be forced to step down - look what happened to Blade.

Hip Hop Producers - Baby J Interview

Seasoned UK producer Baby J took time out of his busy, pre album launch schedule to answer a few questions for Certified Banger:

Certified Banger: Your new album, ‘Baby Food’ is out towards the end of this year, in a couple of months. What can we all expect from that? What are you most excited about with respect to its release?

Baby J: It’s just nice to have my s**t coming out, I love letting people hear my stuff and seeing what feedback it gets. I always feel lucky just to be able to be releasing music, it’s what I’ve always wanted to do so every time is an honour.

CB: You’ve had loads of attention from the sphere of UK Hip Hop and I’ve heard your tracks on Radio 1 nuff times, especially ‘Young, Gifted and Black’. You’ve made moves with big names in the pop world like Mark Ronson. What are your hopes and expectations for the success of ‘Baby Food’?

Baby J: I think I’d just like to get my stuff heard outside of the UK hip hop arena, I feel like I got my stripes there, I’d like to be known as a producer not just a hip hop producer, I’m always gonna make hip hop cause that’s my heart but id like to be able to try some other stuff to.

CB: There are going to be loads of guests on ‘Baby Food’, as usual. Who have you had a chance to work with this time that you have never worked with before? How important are the guest singers and rappers to your work?

Baby J: Farma G and Million Dan were big ones for me, just cause they’re both legends. The artists on my albums make the albums, I provide the landscape but they make it what it is.

CB: What do you look for in an artist when doing collaboration? Are there any MC’s or singers who you would really like to have on your productions in the future?

Baby J: Just someone that stands out. And someone that’s about their business, I’m getting too old to be chasing rappers! I’d like to do something with Dizzee, and Rodney P and Lilly Allen and Adele

CB: Let’s talk about your production sound now. You seem to have a knack when it comes to picking samples; your beats are always so catchy whether they have a happy or a darker vibe. What’s your sample finding process?

Baby J: 2 things, firstly its got to be sonically nice, there’s gotta be something nice about the texture of the sound, the way it was recorded, the instruments used. Secondly the original music’s gotta be hot. I’m usually into a track before I sample it.

CB: Lots of people read my interviews with producers to get tips. What tips would you give to an aspiring producer? Are the any little secrets you can let us into?

Baby J: When you’re working with samples you’re the last musician in the room, so try and add instruments and playing styles that are sympathetic to the music that’s already down, don’t just add some generic boom bap drums over the top. And… EZ Drummer, vintage rock, insider info.

CB: Does the production on ‘Baby Food’ follow the traditional sampling method or have you started from scratch on any of the tracks?

Baby J: There are no samples on the new album. All the tracks have been made from scratch. A couple of tracks have been inspired by other tracks id heard and id got musicians to come and replay things but everything else was from scratch. It was a conscious decision, I felt id done the sample thing and I wanted to challenge myself with a new way of working, so I bought a piano of ebay for £40 and a bass and a guitar.

CB: Who and what inspires you to make music? What got you into producing in the first place?

Baby J: I first started making music because that way I didn’t have to wait for new records to come out to have new music, in some ways it’s the same thing now, I make music when I want to create a certain vibe or feel.

CB: As a fan of Blade, I’ve got to ask, as you produced his last ever album, how did you feel when he said he was going into retirement? Did you know he was going to do that when you were working on ‘Guerrilla Tactics’?

Baby J: To be honest I don’t think I really believed him, I thought it was talk. When we did the album and it came out it was on the tale end of records actually selling and I think he just got disheartened with the sales from the project. We new it was a good album, and it got the critical acclaim but that just didn’t manifest into sales cause people just weren’t buying music in the same way they were 5 years ago.

CB: A lot of prominent people in all walks of life feel a certain amount of responsibility. What’s your role in UK Hip Hop besides making dope beats? Is hard being the one behind the ones with the voice or is that good for you?

Baby J: I get to choose which artists I work with, so they get to speak for me in a sense. I look at music as propaganda. its a tool to talk to the youth so we all have a responsibility to use it accordingly, if you aint got nothing worth saying put the mic down. Recently I was at an anti BNP rally outside their national festival, you see these guys pushing their pro-white racist bulls**t and it suddenly occurred to me, I bet most of their kids listened to black music, they damn sure aint listening to morris dancing.

CB: Thanks for your time. Are there any last words, anything you’d like to add that we’ve not covered? Any interesting insights that you’ve been thinking about over the last couple of weeks?!

Baby J: Check my blog http://babyjbiz.blogspot.com to hear my rants about life. FTP (oh, and buy my album, please)

Mark Ronson - 'Valerie' ft. Amy Winehouse (Baby J Remix)

Skinnyman - 'I'll Be Surprised' (Produced by Baby J and taken from the album 'Council Estate of Mind)

Rukus - 'Let It Go' ft. Ty, Klashnekoff & Yogi (Taken from Baby J's album 'F.T.P.')

Blade - 'UK Hip Hop' (Produced by Baby J and featuring on Blade's last album 'Guerrilla Tactics')

Yogi - 'Black or White' (Produced by Baby J, taken from 'F.T.P. 2: Fight The Power')

Dynamite MC - 'Young, Gifted and Black' (Produced by Baby J, taken from 'F.T.P. 2: Fight The Power')

Of some interest...

It's about time again that I just post a few tracks up for you, mainly in the non-UK Hip Hop mould. Yes, occasionally I do listen to US Rap, here is some of it:

Two new tracks from Guru: 'Who Got It On Lock' featuring Doo-Wop and 'Knowledge' featuring Lord Tariq. 'Who Got It On Lock', produced by Solar is so 90's which is perfectly fine by me and 'Knowledge' is...well, quite 90's sounding as well. Also fine. Lyrics and flow are classic Guru.

Esoteric made an album in 2007 entirely using Gary Numan samples. The album is 'Pterodactyl Tubeway' and it's pretty cool. 'Deathless Fascination' samples Tubeway Army's 'Are Friends Electric' (Yes, the one the Sugababes sampled too when they mashed that up with Adina Howard's 90's-tastic R'n'B hit, 'Freak Like Me') and it's about stupid girls.

Last year Statik Selektah released his album 'Spell My Name Right' which featured mad guests. 'No Mistakes Allowed' features Doug E Fresh, Tony Touch, Scram Jones, DP-One, DG GI-Joe, DJ Revolution and Esoteric! It's a simple break with an old school vibe. Perfect.

Madlib has a new album just about to drop entitled 'WLIB AM: King of The Wigflip'. It also has bare guests such as Guilty Simpson, Murs, Prince Po and Defari amongst others. You're officially allowed to hear 'The Ox (805)' which features MED and Poke but since I totally love it here's 'Gamble on Ya Boy' which is a funkfest blessed by the golden tones of Defari - gotta get some albums by this don.

Some real old school 90's stuff now from Kool G Rap and DJ Polo from their 1995 set '4,5,6'. The track 'Money on my Brain' samples Herbie Hancock's awesome jazz-funk experiment 'Chameleon' as well as featuring MF Grimm and B1.

Web is a new artist attempting to break the scene. Currently he is releasing a track a week through blogs and the like from his album 'It'll Be Alright, Book One'. The best one so far is 'Get Over (Prologue)' which samples the Diana Ross track 'Love Hangover', which I posted on here not so long ago. Preview the album here or buy it here.

'Inner City Got Plenty Cases' - Million Dan (single review)

I'm not going to say too much about Million Dan's next single from the excellent 'Spektrum' album. When I reviewed the album I said this: "‘Inner City Got Plenty Cases’ is brilliant social commentary and warning but is surprisingly upbeat and breezy, it’s also got the type of name a Silent Eclipse track would have..." and it's still the same track, not much has changed!

What I will say is that, alongside guys like Blak Twang, Million Dan is standing up, using his prominence and telling yout' dem what they need to hear. He sees through what some blame as problems and highlights some of the real foundations for social decay. This is what the UK needs at a time when teenage pregnancy rates are high, when knife crime is on the rise and when alcohol and drug abuse is becoming more socially acceptable.

'Inner City Got Plenty Cases' is out on Million Dappa Records on September the 8th and is taken from the already huge 'Spektrum' which has just been re-released with extra tracks and a DVD. I haven't seen or heard that Special Edition yet but it's sure to be fire. Check out the video on youtube and also check the vids for 'Spektrum Ride' and 'Mic Chek' whilst you're there. The latter is bare entertaining!

'Intoxicating' - Jack Flash (single review)

Last time I reviewed a track based on the same concept as 'Intoxicating' I slagged it off a fair bit for being uninnovative. For Huddersfield representative, Jack Flash, my words will be kinder.

Nearly every one of these cleverly penned lines redeems this track from falling into the category named 'samey tracks describing drugs as women'. So much thought has gone into these lyrics that it makes you wonder if this could actually be Jack's personal experience! Quoting him will demonstrate best: "And then he picked her up, I knew her rolled with her//But I also heard the rumour that he liked to hit her//Also heard he tried to quit cause the passion wore thin//So I was quick to light the fire and take it in...And when we was alone I took her out of clothes//Laid her in my sheets, she was naked and cold//I put my lips on her and then her face turned red//When we finished it felt amazing just laid on my bed". Those are just a few lines, the rest continues as such.

Further redeeming features are Jack's own production and the two other versions in the package. The first is the 'Extra Curricular Refix', a live version by the backing band Jack Flash tours (Extra Curricular) with and the second is the 'Acoustic Version' that does what it says on the tin. All three versions are nice and all three versions feature Thabo who lends some top quality R'n'B love song crooning.

As well as the verisons and the instrumental you also get the Apa-Tight produced stomper 'Step Back', a bonus track not featured on 'The Union Jack Album'. Jack battle raps his through this track with lines like "Told you it was cold up North, It's below the nought//Watch how I turn a 'hot rapper' into a frozen corpse". Jack displays another side to his character from that portrayed on the lead track. Consider 'Step Back' a warning of what's to come!

'Intoxicating' featuring Thabo is out on October 6th and will be released on Klinik Records. Stay tuned for an album review and an interview.

*'Step Back' and 'Intoxicating (Extra Curricular Refix)' are in the flash player now.*

Opio Video

Cool video and track from Opio, 'Some Superfly Sh!t', taken from his new album 'Vulture Wisdom Vol. 1'. Remember this is the man behind Hieroglyphics and Souls of Mischief!

Singled Out no.3 - Ozomatli - 'Cut Chemist Suite'

Imagine the delight when a 15 year old Jurassic 5 fan heard Chali 2na rapping over delicious latin beats. Imagine the surprise when, 9 years later the same J5 fan looks it up on Amazon and sees people attempting to sell a CD single for silly money.

Well, thankfully that 15 year old bought the CD the moment it came out and now doesn't have to cough up a tenner or more to hold it in his hands. And this is, to ressurect last years series, the third single to feature in Certified Banger's world famous 'Singled Out'.

Ozomatli are band who play a fusion between Hip Hop, Rock and traditional Latin genres, I wont bore you with all the details, you can do that here. What I will chat about is what's important, mainly that 1/3 of Jurassic 5 (in the line-up of the day) featured heavily on this release and that is why it caught my ear. It was all about that track in those days, when you could only afford a few CD's and downloads were yet a twinkle in their mother's eye, and I can't really remember the other tracks. But here they are for you anyway:

Ozomatli - Cut Chemist Suite.mp3
Ozomatli - Cut Chemist Suite Cuts Remix.mp3
Ozomatli - Cumbia De Los Muertos.mp3

'Slow Me Down' - Skilf (single review)

Allow me to introduce Skilf the entertainer. That second part isn't actually his name, it's what he is so I added it. Having already turned his plough to Garage and Drum 'n' Bass MC'ing Skilf is finally reaping a Hip Hop crop albeit with strains of other genres.

'Slow Me Down' is a pounding mover produced by Toni Toolz and Skilf raps non-stop only punctuated in the chorus by Michelle Ericsson's 'Slow Me Down' refrain. As I write and listen both me and my wife are bouncing in our seats; you can only imagine how this one would work in the club. Rhymes come thick and fast, not just your one-word-at-end-of-line rhymes, as Skilf chats about work ethic and folk who attempt to hinder progress.

The single also contains two more tracks, 'Lemme See Ya' and 'Dead Ender'. 'Lemme See Ya' follows in the footsteps of 'Slow Me Down' although BPM's are down a few notches. Boastful wordplay and calls for crowd interaction pepper this track although it plays second fiddle to the lead track. 'Dead Ender' is slower again and details Skilf's path through education and into the working world. Regretting working hard at uni, boring employment and the British tendency to spend, spend, spend are covered lightheartedly with a liberal amount of comedy quotables. A great track.

'Slow Me Down' is out on Riztone Records on the 8th September and his debut album 'Original Visions' is already available. His website is pretty comprehensive if you want bio, pics and music. I would never say these words but Mike Lewis did this month in HHC: "If I had to tip one act for the top, Skilf would be it".

*'Slow Me Down' and 'Dead Ender' are in the awesome Certified Banger flash player to your right*

'Baby Food' - Baby J (free sampler download)

Anyone who either reads my blog or generally knows stuff about UK Hip Hop will know in October Baby J's new album, 'Baby Food', is coming out.

I've already reviewed one of the singles from it ('Lies' ft. Asher D and Nathan) and will be reviewing the next one ('Ruffnek Set The Trend' ft. Million Dan and Tawiah) very soon.

Whilst you wait with breath baited for my wonderful review (and also an interview with the man himself) you yourself can get a piece of the action by downloading this short sampler of a few of the tracks. I'm sure you'll agree it sounds to showcase an eclectic mix of tunes making this album one to look forward to.

'Seasons' - Eliphino (free EP download)

This is a little late, but I couldn't get the download myself when I first found out about it, something to do with Zshare being a temperamental beast. Well now I've got it and I'm telling you about it because it's coolness.

Eliphino is a Leeds man who DJ's, makes sick beats and generally just chills out looking fresh. He works with the 9 Livez Clik and has been signed to First Word Records who have re-released Eliphino's album 'Out of Phase' which is available from them for peanuts (aka £4.99 for download). If you're feeling special then itunes sell it for £7.99. Donkeys.

Anyways, enough of the pound signs. You're here for the freeness ent ya? Well go here and click on the link and bag yourself 10 tracks of etheral goodness. Whether you're an MC who wants some original beats (influenced by J Dilla) or one of those heads who loves a soundtrack for a horizontal afternoon then you'll find what you need here for the princely sum of nowt (as Eliphino would no doubt say).

If you want to know my favourite track then I'll tell you it's 'Break Up' (shame it's short) and you can play it right now in the soon-to-be legendary Certified Banger flash player. I also like the niceness of 'I Like it Yo', an inventive name if I ever heard one.

Eliphino - I Like It Yo.mp3
Eliphino - Break Up.mp3

'Saga of a Peaceful Man' - Reps (album review)

For every Triple Darkness album you need a Reps album. ‘The Saga of a Peaceful Man’ sits on the brighter side of Hip Hop, a position that believe me, makes it no less credible. Reps has a created an incredibly listenable album that at 45 minutes long doesn’t bore you to death. The sound is typical of much of the Hip Hop coming out of Brighton – tinged with the friendly aroma of the cultural melting pot that greets even the most casual of day trippers.

Backed by a range of different production sounds – reggae, country, boom-bap and break orientated Hip Hop – Reps displays his lyrical disposition. The majority of the content is musings on life and just straight up rhymes. Comparisons could be drawn between Reps and Braintax, in vocal timbre, delivery style and illness of rhymes. Reps says things that make you think ‘Nice! I’d have never thought of saying it like that!’. Reps raps clearly and in a relaxed manner making for ear pleasing music.

‘The Saga of a Peaceful Man’ is largely original. ‘Lion King’ is an innovative take on the personal, life story track and ‘Park Ranger’ ponders the nature of freedom and the freedom of nature. ‘Out in the Field’ and ‘Hee Haw’ cover more familiar ground – weed and sex respectively – and seem a little out of place here although both subjects have been tackled creatively. All of the tracks have individuality and identity, this isn’t just a collection of similar sounding songs but neither do the tracks sound disparate. Reps applies himself to each track and as a result the songs all come across as essential parts of the whole product.

‘The Saga of a Peaceful Man’, on Flash Fry Records, is available now at Suspect Packages for just £7.99. If I hadn’t already got a copy I would not mind paying that price for this CD!

*'Lion King', 'We Have All the Love' and 'Park Ranger' have been added to the flash player to the right.*

'Even Out' - Lazy Habits (single review)

'Even Out' is like nothing else you'll have heard so far this year, if ever, that is. Look at the picture. Lazy Habits, despite resembling an irish folk band with a basketball player, are more Hip Hop than a Flavor Flav clock.

Lazy Habits are a live band who count amongst their ranks a beatboxer, DJ, 2 MC's and a brass section. Now most heads right now will be thinking 'I know, they must be like The Roots'. Not so. Well, they are a live Hip Hop band but the comparisons begin and end there.

'Even Out' is a breezy, jaunty brass soaked jazz hand inducing trip inside the real story behind the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme. MC Skin Horse weaves a sordid tale of infidelity, drug peddling and general waywardness that culminates in Jack's murder at the hands of Jill - but all in the lightest possible manner you must understand. Imagine, if you will, a more british Slick Rick rhyming over the Daptones and you'll have some idea of what to expect from 'Even Out'.

'Please People', their last single is worth a mention too. The horns are working on Mexican time here and most of the band take a back seat here whilst percussion carves a samba groove and DJ Itchi scratches. Lazy and Skin Horse rap in tune to the horn stabs and let loose with some wordplay type rhymes.

These two tracks are available to you from the usual places like itunes and Tunetribe and can be heard in my new player to the right.

'The Way' - GTA video on Channel U

From Chima of GTA:

"The Way" has been picked up by Sky digital 370 (ahem *Channel U* ahem) and I know we all gunning for some positive vibes and substance to be introduced for the children. The opportunity is finally here.

They will be showing the vid every day for a couple of weeks starting today. The vid with the most votes gets added to the official playlist. BRITAIN needs your help to bring substance back to society and present a different positive image for the youngsters to latch onto.

Text WAY to 81700 to vote for our video. Texts cost £1 and thats it, think of it as a donation to SAVE THE WORLD. haha

New Player

Let me know what you think of the new player next door to this post. I'll try and add all the tracks I review to it. They wont be downloadable, just listenable - after all, you can't tell if you like a song just from what I write about it!