UGK review related
HarveyCanal
"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
My former employers at the Austin Chronicle have finally gotten someone new to review a rap album. What do y'all make of it?http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/review?oid=oid%3A531594
And as a bonus to the topic, here's a Waxpoetics-esque piece on Roy Head done by the most lovely Margaret Moser:http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A531656UGKUnderground Kingz (Jive/Zomba)The name's only half-right. Yes, Bun B and Pimp C reign supreme as the kings of Texas hip-hop, having held the throne for a solid 15 years, but at this point, the concept of UGK being underground is simply far-fetched. This isn't Aesop Rock. This isn't Nobi or Pharoahe Monch. This is UGK, the reason the hip-hop nation wants to know what's up in Houston. As such, Underground Kingz is classic UGK, a complete and cohesive double album of the same deep grooves and bawdy lyrics that put the duo on the pedestal so long ago. Pimp C's production didn't lose a beat while he served his three years for aggravated assault. His sound is pure, original, and precise: syrupy Texas beats given plenty of time to air out in the Port Arthur heat. Bun B remains on point, still rhyming about his three favorite things: horsepower, pussy, and blow. Combining the sleazy "Gravy" with the spiritual "Heaven," the krunked out "Like That" with the epic "Swishas & Dosha," Kingz reins in its bona fide top-down summer jam, "Int'l Players Anthem," while "Take Tha Hood Back" stakes a claim to their H-Town turf. UGK is back, and as far as Texas hip-hop goes, they're on top. It's not about a 106 & Park hit for them; it's about taking the underground to new and familiar heights.
Comments
Who is Nobi?
Not UGK apparently.
Um, as far as Google could make out he appears to be an unsigned artist from Baltimore. I'm guessing his name was thrown in there to distract the reader from the fact that Chase's hip hop knowledge seems to have been gleaned from Pitchfork reviews.
I noticed that it's his first article published in the Chronicle. I can't say that I'm surprised that they're once again falling back on rap coverage filtered through rock ears, but it's still disappointing that so many thriving locals are likely to be ignored by the local weekly here just because they live on the Screw side of town.
I can just imagine how the editor thinks that this first rap review in like 3 months is some big concession...like he's now met his quota for the year. But missing the importance of reviewing Chingo's album, especially since Salih did so many of the beats on it, as well as VIP's album and Black Mike's mix cd, among others, is something that will be very difficult to successfully over-compensate for.
Shoot, all UGK had to do was top the Billboard chart to get a rap album reviewed in the Chronicle. Apparently, the standard has been set.
-e
i was going to say... i'm just so tired of this seemingly small pool of adjectives that are always used to describe Texas rap.
syrupy? kill me.
Free R2G2!!!!!
Your earhole craves the syrupy tones of Bun B's voice.