A cursory skim through the mixes that Lunice, Hud Mo, and Four Tet dropped last night on Diplo’s BBC1 Xtra show reveals the strain of American rap music that’s permeating the UK consciousness. For most of the last few years, the only type of rap you’d hear on these BBC1Extra mixes would be Doom, Mos Def, Jay Electronica and indie rap of the Stones Throw stripe. Nothing wrong with that, but it was usually one-dimensional.
The dimensions haven’t changed but the drugs have. These mixes make me want to rob a pharmacy and sip codeine all day long and fall asleep into a sleep of pizza (real hip hop). I’m waiting for the day when one of these guys transitions A$AP Rocky into Aesop Rock, but for now, the reigning trend remains chopped and screwed tunes and trap. How much? The set starts off with SpaceghostPurrp and runs through Sasha Go Hard and 2HerringBones (though points off for including the Drake collabo). The Kanye song is the “I Don’t Like Remix.” Even the the oldie that TNGHT dig up is “Snoop World” from Da Game is to Be Sold Not to Be Told. I haven’t heard that song in 14 years and it sounds a lot better than I remember. Either my tastes have evolved or I’m growing senile. Probably both.
Meanwhile, Four Tet seems determined not to play Drake, so he starts off with Kirko Bangz. In fact, his first five songs include Wayne, Actress, Kirko, Dabrye and Kamikaze. Someone tell him to remix “Da Mobb.” You can stream the set on the BBC. I’m going to try to find a Soundcloud or MP3 soon so do look back, but in the meantime, this should soundtrack your screwed up Sunday.
Stream:
BBC1Xtra — TNGHT (Hudson Mohawke & Lunice) & Four Tet mixes on Diplo & Friends
