Thanks in part to the legendary Daddy-O (of the world-famous group Stetsasonic), the Seattle hardcore-hiphop group Nocturnal Rage have landed themselves a gig that they finally don't have to worry about people thinking they paid to get. (In the past, rumors spread that Nocturnal bought several copies of their own product to increase their spot in local album sales.) The new Comedy Central show Premium Blend is using the Noc on Wood track "How Ya' Feelin" as its theme song, and the trio--Caligula (Robert Wood), Fo' Feva (Anthony Dunston), and Pyromaniak (Martin Harris)--perform live as the program's house band as well. Blend is billed as a weekly showcase of the best standup comedy talent in the country, hosted by D. L. Hughley, with Daddy-O as its musical director. Nocturnal's presence on such a high-profile program should help to get viewers in the humorous mood, and will help, once again, to put Seattle's hiphop scene on the national map. Now no one can call the group liars when they claim, "We everywhere," and hopefully it'll add significant traffic to their presently vacant message board.
At the Vera Project this Saturday, December 6, NWExplosion and MadPassion will be having a big all-ages throwdown featuring their artists Clockwork and Macklemore. (Also on the lineup are MadPassion artists Cancer Rising and Mista Ock; local youngsters the Soul Merchants; and the West Coast's number-one tapemaster, DJ B-Mello, on the ones and twos.) I recently spoke with Clockwork's Kris Matheu--AKA Take-One--about the progress of his group's new album and their fallout with megalabel DreamWorks, and he had a positive attitude about both topics. "The album not coming out on DreamWorks was the best thing that could have possibly happened to us," says Matheu, "because the songs we did there were the first songs we ever did as a group, and they don't really reflect where we are at right now. Not to mention we still got paid for the work we did and learned many valuable lessons throughout the ordeal." Clockwork's album is tentatively set to drop this winter. "We got about six more tracks to make before we choose the 16 best songs from the album," Matheu adds. "And we'll probably just keep grinding to get distribution."
On Monday, December 8, at the Showbox, Aesop Rock will make a return to Seattle (after his successful performance at this year's Bumbershoot) for the Bazooka Tooth Tour. If you thought he was pushing the experimental envelope and sounding abstract on his last full-length, Labor Days, his new one shows him rocketing even further to the outer limits. This whole new "space-hop" genre is beginning to invade the underground hiphop scene, and I give credit to Aesop Rock and Def Jux labelmates like EL-P and Cannibal Ox for going public with the concept. Like Aesop's knack for taking hiphop to new places, the strength of his fan base keeps growing--which is cool, because despite the public cynicism that a whole lot of hype seems to bring, this guy deserves all the good words he gets.
While Aes is the headliner, Mr. Lif, definitely no second-stringer, will be one of the show openers--Lif is promoting his new album, Sleepy Heads. Also in the lineup are Def Jukies S.A. Smash (Camu Tao and Metro) and Lif's fellow Bostonian Akrobatik. Last time Mr. Lif came through, he was touring with Onry Ozzborn, Sleep, and JFK, and he packed Chop Suey--so expect the Showbox to be as crowded as the Atmosphere show was a few months back. With Aesop gracing the cover of URB next to Atmosphere's Slug, there's no doubt who this country's journalists are trying to make into the next saviors of underground rap. They wouldn't have to look too much further than Mr. Lif when it comes to the Def Jux label, though. He steals every show he's a part of with his politically conscious rhymes, his distinctive nasal twang (which always sounds way more dope live than on record), and his impeccable stage presence.
REQUIRED LISTENING
1. Ghostface Killah, "Tony's Cash" (White)
2. Jay-Z, "Lucifer" (Roc-a-Fella)
3. Prodigy, "My Priorities" (White)
4. Likwit Junkies (Defari & DJ Babu), "SCANS" (ABB)
5. Royce Da 5'9", "U Don't Know Me" (Groove Attack)
6. Freddie Foxxx, "Poetry" (BBE)
7. Styles P, "Put It in the Air" (Ruff Ryders)
8. Eminem, "Bully" (White)
9. Method Man feat. RZA, "This Thing" (Def Jam)
10. Wreckonize (MTV's MC Battle 2 winner), "Daily Shuffle" (White)
