In a day and age where hip-hop has traveled through almost all musical genres, I am almost scared to hear what is next.
There is a lot of music out there today with elements of hip-hop taken a bit too far. Never in my life did I ever want to see Gwen Stephani leave No Doubt and mix up hip-hop with her pop-rock (aka hip-pop). Before I start to sound like a total moaner I must admit that I like some hip-hop, but not a lot. Hip-pop is a genre I hope fades away as fast as nu-metal did (yes, Limp Bizkit is still in my iPod).
Back to my fear of hearing new versions of hip-hop as this is a CD review and not a blog of my emo cries.
Enter Yea Big & Kid Static. To the trained eye it looks like two dudes trying to make a hip-hop record. They declare that their music is of a “retro futuristic comic book hip-hop”, a statement that may stop people from sampling their material. Once you do listen to it though you find yourself listening to a more fun experimental hip-hop. Then again you may think that this CD is horrible and should be turned off. It is not your typical album.
The easiest way to describe what I think these Chicago inhabitants sound like is to take Rjd2, Prefuse 73, the wit of the Beastie Boys, and a few not too hardcore drugs and mix. They could be mistaken with Definitive Juxx artist Aesop Rock at times but trust me, this is a different hip-hop. The beats are all over the place. Sometimes they loop and other times they just explode into a tentative frenzy. Yea Big handles the beats while Kid Static controls the mic.
Starting off the CD is “We’ve Built A Time Machine That Runs On Beats, We Shall Only Use It For Good.” First off, that is the best title for a track I have ever heard. Secondly as soon as the piano accommodates the vocals on this track I find myself sucked into the song. I love the way Kid Static’s voice flows throughout the track.
“Speak The Facts,” my favorite cut, is traditional fun hip-hop at its finest. The beats remind me of Beastie Boys mixed with Blackalicious making for some great sounds. A track to check out if you like lyrical performances are “The Basement/Enfant Terrible” as Kid Static seems to be reminiscing his childhood memories. “Duck, Mother Fuckers!” and “The Life Here” are also a couple of choice tracks waiting for your interest.
Now if you are into the crazy experimental beats, “Low Budget Battle Scene” should tickle your fancy. For a second there I thought I was hearing Kid Koala during this track. “Revel In The Aftermath” also is an interesting instrumental masterpiece.
This is a smart, fun, hip-hop album that I was not expecting. They do not appear to be making this music for the fame or for the glory, assume them as a less high profile act with a ton of potential. To some their sound may be like oil and water, to others is maybe a cure to the hip-hop blahs. If you have been drained out or are sick of all the commercial hip-hop that engulfs MTV these days, Yea Big + Kid Static might be the therapy for you.
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