Shiny, Happy People: El-P’s Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixx 2
In truth, part of me wants to be like, “Yo, El, why don’t you just chill the fuck out, smoke a blunt, take a deep breath, even if it’s not going to be okay, why don’t you just pretend that it will.” I’m sure by now the guy’s been told this one or two or 34,566 times. Yeah, the oeuvre’s a razor’s-edge from being gimmicky. At this point, it seems like there’s no piece of smooth sheet metal that El-P couldn’t twist into a fun-house of apocalyptic contortion. No sunny personality he couldn’t glare into dyspepsia. No bright day he couldn’t murk. It’s a lot to handle, but ultimately, it’s none of my fucking business. Artists should be allowed to be artists and regardless of whether you love or hate the guy, it’s tough to deny that his paranoid, neo-Bomb Squad wall of noise is as sonically innovative as anyone in hip-hop, 2008. *
Currently, barnstorming the country with Dizzee Rascal, Kidz in the Hall and Busdriver on the Stuff White People Like Tour 2008, the Def Jux chieftain has been peddling the next installment of his limited edition 500-only Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixx 2. The record sounds how you’d think it would sound. Think My Life in the Bush of Ghosts but done by someone convinced the Nazis could kick down the door at any moment. Maybe less original than the canonized Eno/Byrne collaboration, but no less awesome, and either way I’ll take this over a dude freestyling over the beat to “Xxplosive” anyday. (though Crooked I, pretty much killed Week 30).
Split between instrumentals, remixed tracks and original raps from El Producto, “Mike Douglas” stands out as my favorite of the bunch, with its savage uppercut at white music journalists who apparently play apologist for crack rap. (Who knew?) I’m not going to play the transcribe game, but it’s either this or Elzhi’s “Motown 25″ for my pick for this month’s imaginary Hip Hop Quotable. If you aren’t a fan, I don’t see something called Theweareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixx 2 convincing you to join the Def Jux fan club**, but if you are, it will inevitably be vital for the next time you decide to have your next Blade Runner party. I call Edward James Olmos.
*Other correct answers can include Madlib, Black Milk and maybe one or two other producers I’m forgetting at the moment. Answering Timbaland results in a 10-year purgatory where you are forced to listen to Madonna’s Hard Candy ad infinitum.
**Def Jux fan club includes free Mr. Lif hair grooming kit and a chance to Win a Date with Rob Sonic
From Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixx 2
MP3: El-P-”Fuck the Law”
MP3: El-P-”Mike Douglas”
From Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixx 1
MP3: El-P ft. Aesop Rock-”We’re Still Standin’ Here”
MP3: El-P-FunkDiscoChill
Stumble It!
May 14th, 2008 at 3:50 am
a few notes:
a) crook’s verse over “xxplosive” [especially the line about the “ashy nikes/you know, the ones that ain’t exactly white”] is pretty much better than every verse ever spit on the beat, except for kurupt’s.
b) el-p’s whole “apocalyptic miserablist” thing is dangerously close to being a gimmick, but, as i’ve said before, producto “does what he does” better than anyone else in rap, and probably any other genre of music. even thom yorke.
c) “motown 25″ is, in my opinion, the best [non-5 o’clock shadowboxers] hip-hop track released this year. but “mike douglas” came close. well, actually, it didn’t.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:08 am
As a fellow “apocalyptic miserablist/Middle Child Of History/Cold War Kid” this mix is pretty much right up my alley. It brings back memories of me thinking all of the planes I heard flying overheard out of Logan Airport were MX missiles or having nightmares about World War Three starting while I slept and waking up The Day After.
Sometimes I wonder what my life would’ve been like if I never saw “The Man Who Saw Tomorrow” when I was 6.
One.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:30 am
El-Producto’s probably my favorite producer working right now. I’ve had his remix for Drivin’ Down The Block on repeat for a week.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
not that he’s exactly been collaborating with the most interesting people now, yeah, but i’d have to favor Tim Mosley here, if only because his stuff’s actually listenable.
who knows though, maybe one day i’ll come across an El-P track that blows me away in its genius
May 14th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Tim 95-05? One of the greatest ever. Other than the “My Love” beat, I really think he’s been running in circles for the last three years. A copy of “Hard Candy” is on your way, along with the new Duran Duran jaunt. I expect a report on my desk Monday.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
@trey stone - your opinion on El-P (and music in general) is discredited by the fact that you’re an admitted, unashamed Timbo stan.
there are 2 things that save El-P from out & out gimmickry - 1) he’s sincere & 2) things are as more or less as fucked up as he says they are (of course many people turn to music to escape from that very fact). that & he’s spent over a decade perfecting his particular doomsayer niche. I admit that a little bit goes a long way w/dude’s solo work, though I could listen to Company Flow (and The Cold Vein while we’re at it) every day & not get sick of it.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
^I will also admit that late 90s/early 00s Tim was amazing more often that not, one of the few true innovators in pop music in that period. he’s just past his prime these days.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
El-P is the fucking best. Keeps it real, speaking on relevant topics, making his own beats that sound like no other, doesn’t fly in the wind and suddenly change his shit up for anyone (seriously, he even brings it to that Kidz in the Hall remix), keeps Def Jux run like a well-oiled machine, has a tremendous ear for talent (most of the time), and overall, is a total fucking badass. He is not coming anywhere near me and I want– no I NEED– this full mix!!! Someone hit up a link!
May 14th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I second what Adam says, where can I cop this entire mix? Great discussion by all and write up Weiss. Peace
May 14th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
After listening several times, it’s unfortunate that El’s awesome verses on “Fuck the Law” are brought down by the absolutely moronic Bun-B verse from DR’s song with him. “Never snitch never tell”– wow, are people other than mouth-breathing retarded 6 year olds still peddling the stop snitching shit? Fucking boring. If I wanted to hear that, I’d go read the genius verses on the middle school bathroom wall.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
lol@”unashamed.” dude’s just good, what can i say. not that i can’t tell his more uninspired moments apart. a handful of his beats (’specially anything he gave to rappers) last year weren’t all that good.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
damn, @ makes an automatic email link? crazy shit
May 15th, 2008 at 12:46 am
weiss, i’d say tim ‘95-’03 is where he was at his best. when the pop acts started knocking on his door, i think he slacked on his game a little. but the first time i heard “sock it 2 me,” i was pretty floored.
May 15th, 2008 at 2:08 am
Tim was working in ‘95? i know he was working under someone then, but as far as official production credits, he Aaliyah and Ginuwine albums didn’t hit ’til ‘96. maybe i’m missing something obvious and my stan pass needs to be revoked
anyway, i can’t help but think any idea that Tim’s recent stuff is somehow worse is more based on a general distaste for the people he’s working with rather than the actual quality of the music. if dude ever fell off, it was probably around 2003-04 or so when him and Missy were past their prime and he did that LL album. his recent stuff is pretty consistently good, at least when he’s not giving rappers his leftovers, and working with Danja he’s added interesting new layers to his old sound. not that i’d be mad if he switched it up with something completely different soon, provided it’s good.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Timbo used to “ghost-produce” tracks for Devante Swing of Jodeci fame back in the day. The two of them used to work with a crew called “The Basement” or something out of Virginia and they had a track on the first Nutty Professor Soundtrack. Relisten to some of the later Jodeci tracks and you can tell, just like you can tell when Dilla became part of The Ummah.
I’m gonna say that I pretty much quit paying attention to Timbo around 02-03 myself though. Not that he fell off completely, but he just wasn’t doing it for me anymore.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Oh… and I second that call for a download link… I was out of town when El played LA and I probably won’t catch him before they sell out of these.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
You might be able to get it at the rapidshare linked above - yes rapidshare is absolutely fucking terrible, but I couldn’t find it anywhere else and I doubt it’ll get a proper release ever.
For the record, I preferred the first one, but this second one is still awesome, I’ll be playing them both until the apocalypse comes.