The problem isn’t white rappers.* The problem is the popular perception that beyond the Beasties, Vanilla Ice, Everlast, Marky Mark, Eminem, and Asher Roth, white rappers don’t exist. You probably don’t need me to tell me you this. The few thousand people reading this don’t need NY Magazine’s comprehensive guide to white rap, or my less thorough version tailored to the print daily audience.
The attacks on dudes like Themselves usually say more about their critics than the artist uh…themselves–a series of ad hominem assaults involving reductive generalizations branding them as either emo pussies or plinkety-plink spaceship rappers. I’m not trying to revive Hip-Hop Infinity. I’m just saying that liking Boosie and Aesop Rock aren’t mutually exclusive. Popism doesn’t mean Soulja Boy can’t co-exist with CloudDead. “Gucci Bandanna” and “Know That to Know This,” are two of the best songs of the year–no need to pat yourself on the back for your “eclecticism,” that’s just how it is.
If dull as Durst boom-bap-revivalists can kick true-school platitudes to the delight of the comfort food crowd, Themselves, Why?, and the Def Jukies deserve the same plaudits. After all, as Noz pointed out, “this is just boom-bap twisted beyond recognition.” I mean, DoseOne did win a Scribble Jam when people cared about that sort of thing. FreeHoudini isn’t perfect, but few free mixtapes are.
Sure, this is as far from populism as Rockefeller Republicanism (R.I.P.), but when the crack(er)-rap standard-bearers are vainly trying to recusitate horror-core and the ghost of Bluto Blutarski, you could certainly do worse.
* Granted, the problem is actually 99.3 percent of white rappers.
Download:
MP3: Themselves ft. Aesop Rock-”Know that To Know This”
MP3: Themselves ft. Why? CloudDead-”Rappin’ 4 Money”
10 comments
Max says:
May 20, 2009 at 2:17 pm (UTC -7)
Here’s a good list of cracka emcees for those not taking the initiative of reading those two articles:
Apathy (sounds like a white Pharaohe Monch to me, extremely dope)
Edan (smacks most kids, gardless of color)
RA Scion from Common Market (dude is just ill)
Blood of Abraham (Eyedollartree, nuff said)
Cool Calm Pete (okay he’s Korean, but it’s close enough really..unrelated can someone explain the reason that it is considered acceptable for hispanic rappers to drop the n bomb? never understood that)
anyway fuck this
Curt says:
May 20, 2009 at 4:39 pm (UTC -7)
When is Edan getting back to business?
Passion of the Weiss says:
May 20, 2009 at 4:46 pm (UTC -7)
I wish I knew.
Elll says:
May 20, 2009 at 5:17 pm (UTC -7)
Agreed on Apathy, he’s one of my favorite MC’s, waiting for some more new music from him but Baptism by Fire is an extremely dope mixtape.
Loving both these songs, think I might even like the second track better
Max says:
May 20, 2009 at 6:15 pm (UTC -7)
I don’t know what Edan’s up to (although I did talk to his label rep recently, who knew just as much aha) but here’s a track you might not have heard from the Humble Magnificent, “Rap Beautician”
http://www.divshare.com/download/7431175-ae0
enjoy
AaronM says:
May 20, 2009 at 10:18 pm (UTC -7)
Max, you have good taste.
Edan recently produced a song for Dagha (the guy on “Rock And Roll” off Beauty and the Beat), well worth your time:
http://grandgood.com/2009/03/25/dagha-the-remedy-prod-by-edan/
Also he has a radio show:
http://grandgood.com/2009/05/01/edans-radio-show-episode-1/
Jason says:
May 20, 2009 at 10:30 pm (UTC -7)
I have always loved the Anticon crew from the moment I heard the audaciously titled, “Music for the Advancement of Hip-hop”. The loosely associated Buck 65 always gets slept on and although Why? doesn’t rap much anymore, (if he really ever did) he’s making great music. Nearly everyone on that label has made at least or been part of one great record, (minus Sole)
Oh yeah co-sign on Edan, hope he’s taking his time making more great beats.
CD says:
May 22, 2009 at 8:06 am (UTC -7)
i think it’s time for a 3rd Bass retro piece, PotW.
Tray says:
May 24, 2009 at 2:15 am (UTC -7)
This is actually very good (although I’d never actually listen to another song from these guys), but you must admit that it is, in fact, very plinekty-plink spaceshippy. Or at least they sound like they should be talking about spaceships. It’s also nice to see you embracing Gucci Bandanna.
lolo341 says:
July 15, 2009 at 3:57 pm (UTC -7)
“hispanics” on the “n word” – hispanics/latinos are people of color. whiteys are white. ur cracka emcee list rocks.