One, I'll say someone like Divine Styler was more or less already doing all of that. And two, it figures he's from LA because there KDAY mixed with KROQ to cover all of that ground for anyone privliged enough to own a radio.
You are getting so carried away with conceptualizing Massive Attack, when like you even say, it's no mystery at all...I used to hear Shriekback on KROQ in LA and I used to hear plenty of similar music in Houston as well, where clubs during the late 80's played that same equal mix of hardcore rap and new wavy ish, to the point that in '89 Houston club deejay's made Moses P's Twilight Zone a hit, moreso than in any other American city.
Point being, we were definitely on the same wavelength over here.
I disagree slighty. The wavelength might've been the same, but sonically and culturally, it was different. And I know I take the Euroman Conceptualizing perspective as well, but Moses P and Massive Attack, although both from comparable backgrounds (early to mid 80's pioneer Euro-HipHop Crews in their respective cities) are a completely different thing. And Bristol with its history as a port city and the amalgamation of different cultures that happened there sharpened the sound of "Blue Lines". I don't think anything like this could've come from the states at that time. One guy I know once said their first album was "music evolution in real time" and I can see the point in his argument. Massive Attack were to the best of my knowledge also the only British crew that ever made it to Yo! MTV Raps. If that says anything.
Also, it's one thing to be aware of/surrounded by all those disparate musical strains and elements, but quite another to take them and successfully draw them together whilst still displaying a distinct musical personality of your own, which was what Massive Attack actually did on those first two or three albums.
I agree, and Massive Attack sounds much better to me now that I have more of an appreciation of the cultural context from which they emerged.
At the time, their music was consistently presented to me as being some hip-hop sh!t--or even something superior to the hip-hop that I enjoyed--by people who did not otherwise appreciate hip-hop and, taken from a rap perspective, it seemed unbelievably tepid.
Now that I no longer want it to be hip-hop, I can appreciate it on its own terms and think that it's really interesting music.
potentially too much information, ..... but i lost my virginity while 'glory box' by portishead was playing. trippity hop has always had a place in my heart.
One, I'll say someone like Divine Styler was more or less already doing all of that. And two, it figures he's from LA because there KDAY mixed with KROQ to cover all of that ground for anyone privliged enough to own a radio.
You are getting so carried away with conceptualizing Massive Attack, when like you even say, it's no mystery at all...I used to hear Shriekback on KROQ in LA and I used to hear plenty of similar music in Houston as well, where clubs during the late 80's played that same equal mix of hardcore rap and new wavy ish, to the point that in '89 Houston club deejay's made Moses P's Twilight Zone a hit, moreso than in any other American city.
Point being, we were definitely on the same wavelength over here.
I disagree slighty. The wavelength might've been the same, but sonically and culturally, it was different. And I know I take the Euroman Conceptualizing perspective as well, but Moses P and Massive Attack, although both from comparable backgrounds (early to mid 80's pioneer Euro-HipHop Crews in their respective cities) are a completely different thing. And Bristol with its history as a port city and the amalgamation of different cultures that happened there sharpened the sound of "Blue Lines". I don't think anything like this could've come from the states at that time. One guy I know once said their first album was "music evolution in real time" and I can see the point in his argument. Massive Attack were to the best of my knowledge also the only British crew that ever made it to Yo! MTV Raps. If that says anything.
Also, it's one thing to be aware of/surrounded by all those disparate musical strains and elements, but quite another to take them and successfully draw them together whilst still displaying a distinct musical personality of your own, which was what Massive Attack actually did on those first two or three albums.
I agree, and Massive Attack sounds much better to me now that I have more of an appreciation of the cultural context from which they emerged.
At the time, their music was consistently presented to me as being some hip-hop sh!t--or even something superior to the hip-hop that I enjoyed--by people who did not otherwise appreciate hip-hop and, taken from a rap perspective, it seemed unbelievably tepid.
Now that I no longer want it to be hip-hop, I can appreciate it on its own terms and think that it's really interesting music.
One, I'll say someone like Divine Styler was more or less already doing all of that. And two, it figures he's from LA because there KDAY mixed with KROQ to cover all of that ground for anyone privliged enough to own a radio.
You are getting so carried away with conceptualizing Massive Attack, when like you even say, it's no mystery at all...I used to hear Shriekback on KROQ in LA and I used to hear plenty of similar music in Houston as well, where clubs during the late 80's played that same equal mix of hardcore rap and new wavy ish, to the point that in '89 Houston club deejay's made Moses P's Twilight Zone a hit, moreso than in any other American city.
Point being, we were definitely on the same wavelength over here.
I disagree slighty. The wavelength might've been the same, but sonically and culturally, it was different. And I know I take the Euroman Conceptualizing perspective as well, but Moses P and Massive Attack, although both from comparable backgrounds (early to mid 80's pioneer Euro-HipHop Crews in their respective cities) are a completely different thing. And Bristol with its history as a port city and the amalgamation of different cultures that happened there sharpened the sound of "Blue Lines". I don't think anything like this could've come from the states at that time. One guy I know once said their first album was "music evolution in real time" and I can see the point in his argument. Massive Attack were to the best of my knowledge also the only British crew that ever made it to Yo! MTV Raps. If that says anything.
Also, it's one thing to be aware of/surrounded by all those disparate musical strains and elements, but quite another to take them and successfully draw them together whilst still displaying a distinct musical personality of your own, which was what Massive Attack actually did on those first two or three albums.
I agree, and Massive Attack sounds much better to me now that I have more of an appreciation of the cultural context from which they emerged.
At the time, their music was consistently presented to me as being some hip-hop sh!t--or even something superior to the hip-hop that I enjoyed--by people who did not otherwise appreciate hip-hop and, taken from a rap perspective, it seemed unbelievably tepid.
Now that I no longer want it to be hip-hop, I can appreciate it on its own terms and think that it's really interesting music.
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some amazing moments there to add, a large reason why I first got my tables!
I agree, and Massive Attack sounds much better to me now that I have more of an appreciation of the cultural context from which they emerged.
At the time, their music was consistently presented to me as being some hip-hop sh!t--or even something superior to the hip-hop that I enjoyed--by people who did not otherwise appreciate hip-hop and, taken from a rap perspective, it seemed unbelievably tepid.
Now that I no longer want it to be hip-hop, I can appreciate it on its own terms and think that it's really interesting music.
so there's that.