While trying to delay getting out of bed this morning - Cape Town is freezing, man - I was scanning the tweets when I came across one written by @Phonetiq. The spitter plugged the latest installment of the We Make Music Wednesdays. The Battlekat-poduced joint is actually a remix of a song by Simply Vincent and features Mo Katalyst, Principle and Golden Shovel. Feel free to download it HERE. Happy Hump Day.
This past weekend presented history-in-the-making for some of us rap lovers. Not since Optical Ill was a rap crew and not a distant memory have hip hop luminaries, Golden Shovel and X-Rate, rapped on the same track. If you've been a longtime blagger or blaggette then you know how we feel about Brotha X. If not, see theblagg's bio on the side strip of this site. Go.
Are you back? So now you understand that a meeting of these minds is a big deal to us and, I'd like to think, to hip hop. Anyway, the two hooked up with Mothipa at King Katta's studio in the V and recorded a joint called Kings Of Another Kingdom. The verses complement a Battlekat fire-beat and also feature the singing styles of Battlekat, Genocide, our favourite female producer, BK as well as Lindiwe.
Instro, who was the sessions engineer, was reluctant to explicitely express what the joint is about but one thing is for sure, the producer is ecstatic about the parallel universe concept and can't wait for you to hear it.
theblagg hit up X-Rate, who told us what the experience was like. And before you ask why his arm is bandaged in this photo, we've learnt that when it comes to injuries, it's better to not ask rappers questions like "how did you do that?" This is what the half of X and O had to say about recording Kings Of Another Kingdom, a song that will appear on Golden Shovel's (Shove to those who like things, ha!) upcoming album, The Lost Gospels:
"Well, the beat was sent a week before the recording and we were supposed to start writing then. However, Mothipa and I didn't do that - as if we ever do what we are told. So we got there and Shove was finishing off a song he was busy with. After that, it was on. That beat was played and we hit the pen and paper. There were a lot of loiterers at the studio though, which was a bit different for me. As we were writing, Shove laced his verse and I think 2 hours after that Mothipa got in and then I followed. It was fun but... different for me."
If you'd seen Instro's tweets (@instros), you'd know that touching the mic after Shovel was not easy to do. But we're keen to hear the final product and hope we'll get it first - hint, hint - so keep your eyes on theblagg for that.
The other day, Dude had some music business to take care of. And guess who got to tag along? Put your hand down Young Calibre! Anyway, so we get there and Battlekat (producer/founding Optical Ill member/general dope dude) is lacing a verse. Of course Dude and I aren’t allowed to bear witness. So we’re stalled outside. We’re told BK is just putting the final touches to a chorus he is singing. My stomach bellows another tune. Don’t judge me, it was late and I was famished. Anyway. I had this intense craving for Chicken Licken chicken wings – what else? And I was in a hurry to go before Alex gets dodgy. But nope, the wings and I… we could never be! This is going somewhere, I promise. But before I could bid the studio good day, I said good day (ok, that’s my last Girlfriends reference, promise) I had to sit through what felt like forever and a day while cats got their shit together. And you know what? It was worth it. Battlekat’s vocals were like butter on this joint. And you’ll hear it in due time, but for now take my word for it. The layering was like a honeycomb being turned lovingly by a fat chef with a little bald-headed brother named Bob. And that got me thinking. Everyone knows Battlekat is an awesome producer. And if you didn’t know that he is a great singer too, well then I just told you that. However, he raps like most awesome producers rap – JDilla anyone? So that lead to this thinking: who, if there is even anyone, can sing as well as they rap? Or vice versa. And for you blaggers and blaggettes, I kill de bull. And in the event of me having no bull to kill, I will give you a list of rappers who really can rap but who can also saaaaang!* Then we’ll throw in ones that we’re still on the fence about… LAURYN HILL Rap rating? 10 – Have you heard of Fugees? It should have been called Lauryn N ‘Em Singing? 10 – Which other girl could go toe to toe with Mary J “Queen of Hip/Hop Soul” Blige on a song where both had to sing? And on her debut album nogal! Proof of perfection:
theblagg thinks she should come back already, all is forgiven and stop being stubborn before Lesego takes that Unplugged picture off her wall.
MOS DEF Rap rating? 10 - T.O.G’s new crush, Jozen Cummings recently posed a question on twitter, and I’m paraphrasing here: Who can honestly say they like Talib over Mos Def or Common? Don’t worry, I’ll wait. Singing? 9 – Only because Mos has done it all from 60s impersonations to afro-beat cool and serenading r&b suitor. See for yourself:
theblagg thinks he should do good on his word and relocate to South Africa, we’re sure Bahamadia can accommodate him in her Hillbrow pad and stop marrying girls after only 96 hours of meeting them. Unless that girl’s initials are T.O.G. Just saying.
ANDRE 3000 Rap rating? 8 – We’re not saying that having a dangerously wack rapper who is more concerned about grooming dogs and making suspect cameos in music videos-turned-movies doesn’t automatically make you the dope one in the crew. But it sure does help. Singing? 8 – Don’t you just think of a taller, much taller, and just plain manly good-looking Prince when you hear 3Stacks? Well listen then:
theblagg thinks he should come back into the game and school these kids about the evolution of an artist and stop it with the relaxed hair now!
PHONTE Rap rating? 9 – on any given day you can find Phontigallo and Little Brother quotes being passed around in my house like potato salad on a Sunday. Phonte’s lines work as status updates and ways to find out if you’re compatible with someone or not. Singing? 6 – We have to admit, sometimes we don’t know when Phonte (or his alter ego, Percy Miracles) is singing for real for real. But we enjoy it all the time! You know his indi project (yes where he sounds like the sweetest songbird) and labour of love, Foreign Exchange? No? Then get off this site and get onto google. Seriously. But come right back ok? So you can enjoy this:
theblagg thinks he should keep making that heartfelt mushy music that you cook supper to and stop eating whatever he is eating. Have you seen how big he is?
DRAKE Rap rating? 5 – Yes, you don’t have to squint. I’ll say it again: Shawty is a 5 in my book. He has received notable buzz, but wouldn’t you if you could lace a decent 16 AND the members of your group had names like Gudda Gudda and Lil Chuckie? Singing? 6 – T.O.G will be the first to admit that Drizzy Rogers can hold a note. But how far will the whining take him though? This feels like what Mr West wanted to achieve with 808s and Heartbreaks, right? Don’t front:
theblagg thinks he should keep writing r&b for AKeys and Tank and stop trying to do it himself all the damn time AND also stop going to his barber because that hairline… just no.
theblagg thinks Pharrel, Queen Latifah and Estelle should just stick to rapping. Thanks.
*Before you get your panties in a tswape, I didn’t pick any South Africans because I don’t know any SA rappers who have sold millions or thousands or hundreds off of their singing talent.
