Flosstradamus |
There’s been a lot of talk about “clubrap” as the new sound rockin’ indie and European dance floors alike. Building from a foundation of up-tempo house or electro beats, MCs grab a mic, or find an a cappella vocal track, and mix rhymes over the top. It’s a sound that, since its inception as an offshoot of disco, has always pervaded hip-hop, but it’s recently found new life in the likes of Spank Rock, Ed Banger’s DJ Medhi, and Canadian clubbers Chromeo. Here in Boston, the Paper and Hearthrob parties have been putting the sound front and center, and visitors like Roxy Cottontail and DJ Steve Aoki will drop in and spin more than a few clubraps. Here’s a selection of brand-spanking new jawns.
Sinden on Kiss, “Featuring Flosstradamus”
For current clubrap mash-ups, it doesn’t get more state-of-the-art than Sinden’s London radio show. Loaded with a cappella tracks and electro beats, this mix features the sound of Chicago’s Flossatradamus. About 30 minutes in, DJ Autobot and JK2 take over the show, dropping tracks like the definitive “Shake and Pop.” These guys go from a filtered and chopped remix of Daft Punk’s “Prime Time of Your Life” into some Deep South grooves.
Grizz Le Beast, “1971 Torn Up”
No one, as in no one else in the world, represents the buzzing clubrap sound like Grizz Le Beast, a mash-up artist who comes from NoFo, VA. (That’s Norfolk, Virginia to you and me.) On his MySpace page, he posts red-hot tracks that get downloaded and played all around the world. This latest blends the sounds of Passions (of NYC trio Trouble N Bass) with the King of Memphis, Yo Gotti. It’s some low-swingin’ shit that brings current Parisian electro trends straight in line with Blockburnaz raps — the sort of thing that separates hipsters from their pants and gets the thugs off the wall. Grizz counts local DJs Red Foxxworth and Baltimoroder as good friends, so expect a Boston visit real soon.
Chromeo, “Me & My Man (Pee Thugg Clubb Mixx)”
This free download from the Jewish/Arab Canadian duo is a rolling R&B rap track with electro trills. There are those who refuse to spin Chromeo, since they come off as a kind of joke act, but to judge by what I’ve heard from the Great White North, no one turns a club out like these enthusiastic guys. Although it’s not exactly current, this MPFree demonstrates their love of synth lines and talk boxes. (Pee Thugg is in fact Patrick Gemayel, i.e., the Arab.)
Todosantos, “Acid Boys and Acid Girls”
No surprise that clubrap is propagating on MP3 blogs like rabbits. Here a demo version posted to the Acid Girls blog comes directly from Philly GhettoTech label Flamin Hotz. As far as I know, this is the first song whose raison d’être is the blog itself. Venezuelan trio Todosantos also draw attention to the international nature of clubrap — from Sweden to Canada to Brazil and back, there’s no language barrier to shouting raunchy raps over easily made bouncy beats.
