Ramson BadBonez, the latest addition to the High Focus label was first discovered at the young age of 14 by the biggest entity on the Uk scene at the time Task Force. After featuring on a few of the "Music From The Corner" releases and projects from Jehst, Verb T, Mud Fam and many more UK artists, he eventually teamed up with producer Harry Love to bring us "The Official Mixtape Vol 1" which quickly got him noticed through out the UK hip hop industry as one of the fiercest Mc's around. After a few more years of pumping out highly rated mix tapes he dropped his debut album featuring production from Harry Love, 184, Farma G, Dr. Zygote and Jazz T.
Fast forward to 2014 and he has now teamed up with producer Charlie Mac (you may have heard some of his earlier work from his Instrumentals Vol 1 - 3) and High Focus records to release "A year in the life of Oscar the Slouch"
The album has 14 tracks and runs through from track 2, January to track 13, December giving us the full year in the life of the titular character. Featuring appearances from Jam Baxter, Fliptrix, Mystro, Rag N Bone Man, Row.D, Joker Starr and more, this release is set to excite the mind of anyone with a taste for the slightly darker side of hip hop; with a focus on a moody tone and a stylised take on story telling which is evident through both the lyrical content and the tight production.
The eerie artwork from Jaypee also helps solidify the mood of the concept album, whilst displaying talent from every angle, showing that High Focus and BadBonez are not to be messed with.
Here are some highlights from the album.
After the intro the album gets started with January "In Da Blitz Time" giving us an introduction to Oscar the Slouch, his struggles causing him to hustle for money and the grittiness of his streets.
"Straight from the back alleys and trash cans with no hope pockets are flat broke....."
"Hustle from a dark crevice blood I'm hard headed, a fucking shark menace cotching in the park selling....."
Charlie Mac accompanies this with a perfect beat to set the scene and start of the story. His ability to make you feel the months through his music is amazing and consistent throughout the album.
Moving on to February "Whateva The Weathea" shows us that Oscar is
willing to do whatever it takes to make money and fears nothing, not a
damn thing. Featuring Mystro backing up Oscars harsh words, Gadget
singing the chorus and a banging beat from Charlie Mac this one shines and delivers on all levels.
Another personal favourite is March, Scruffy, Bummy, Hungry featuring Jam
Baxter and Joker Starr. It starts with a short vocal sample followed by
Badbonez dropping straight into verse accompanied by Charlie Mac's big
bass and strings. Oscar seems to be angry during March referring to himself as the Grumpy Grouch and describes what sounds like a month of madness violence and setting fire to police cars. Baxter and Joker Starr deliver with their own individual style and twist to the story in epic fashion.
October was the first single to be released off the new record and gave us an excellent example of what to expect from the rest of the upcoming album. Not only showcasing the natural ability and skills from the producer and the title MC, it also features heavyweight MCs Fliptrix, Row.D and Rag N Bone Man, giving us a clear indication of the calibre of guest artists set to appear on the record. Each MC gives us a another piece of the story to enjoy over the deep, smooth bass provided by Charlie Mac, allowing the space needed to to ensure nothing is unclear. The production value is at its best and complimented by the chorus, courtesy of Rag N Bone Man.
Above is the second single Desperation (November). This banger is not only reminiscent of the old school hip hop sound we all love and crave so much, but the visual aesthetics of the 8bit style adventure game graphics from the early nineties, which struck a personal, if rather geeky chord with me. Ramson Badbonez hits this one solo, giving us a philosophical look at poverty stricken estates, drug dealin and general husslin' to get by on the cold streets in November. This tune stands out as it captures perfectly the combined talents of just Badbonez and Charlie Mac to create the perfect chemistry, shrink wrapped and sent directly to our ears.
In short, this album is a must for any true fan of UK hip hop. It has great production, story telling and plenty of guest appearances from well known UK artists. Ramson Badbonez reminds us he is a big player on the UK scene. If this album is anything to go by he has a bright future in the Hip Hop world.
Dead Players comprises of two of London's finest
MC's with sharp as razor wits and a flow to match, counterbalance that
with the eclectic, sample heavy, "avant-garde" beats from Ghosttown and
your left with a psychedelic trip through the minds of hip hops weirdest
(in the best possible way) trio. And my god, its quit the trip.
So this collab came to be when Baxter, back in 2010,
said publicly the MC he'd "most like to collaborate with" would be
Dabbla, who's skills had become widely renowned from his work with LDN Zoo.
Dabbla, hearing the call-out, put the wheels in motion and work on the Dead Players LP began.
Having
worked with both MC's in the past, the choice of who was to produce the
beats for the album was a no-brainer. Ghosttown was the only producer
capable of orchestrating the articulated canvas for both MC to flourish.
With vocals styles being as demanding as they are, a fight for the
listeners attention may have been a crucial obstacle to overcome, but
they have pulled it off effortlessly and the end result is a another
High Focus banger. Soon as the album came through the door it went in
the cd player and hasn't left since. I was
not expecting something so diverse, respecting the roots and culture but
willing to experiment and flip the middle finger to whats
conventional.
Track
one starts off with the sublime orchestral intro accompanied by floaty
high end female vocals whilst Jam Baxter prepares the listener for the
sonic tone change and complex vocal deliverance. Soon as the drums roll
out, the beat and "oohhhhh's" swallow my speakers whole. This intro
track sets the tone perfectly, and is a perfect example of how
effortlessly both MC's can switch up their vocal time to a slower beat
to constantly keep the listener hanging on to the momentum of the track
and thirsty for more. And those drum rolls are immense.
Track two starts off with a pitch-bent sequence of
notes that drops into a certified headbanger thats got you fully hooked
before Baxter spits his first bar, with an attitude sharp enough to cut
your ears and a wit to match. Once quoted as the "new king of rap" by
hip hop legend Chester P (Task Force), this song showcases his ability
in full motion. With a solid hook and an equally stella performance from
Dabbla, this tune is gonna stay with you for a long time....
Ever,
track five on the album was the second single to drop. Directing the
video himself, gives us a great opportunity to delve further into the
mind of Jam Baxter. Dare you look?
The
beat starts with a slow, almost hypnotic marching style drum
accompanied by soulful female vocals and guitar samples. Jam Baxter hits
this one solo and executes his ability from his signature lazy style of
MC'ing to double time, slowly building and getting faster, only to drop
straight back down to where he started.
The
video switches location for each verse, gradually slipping further into
chaos as each lyric is more tipped-out and twisted as the last. This
all builds to a psychedelic, circus horror climax, a visual and audible
treat and we hope this isn't going to be the last
directional endeavour from Jam Baxter as this was too good.
Badman,
track nine on the album is Dabblas time to shine and this is exactly
what he does. Fusing the vibes of so many different genres on production
not only sets the backdrop for Dabbla's lethal and anthemic lyrics, but
also shows how Ghosttown can seamlessly have his fingers in lots of
style's but the result will always be innovative and fresh, but still be recognisable . From trap style drums and simple sub, to the
dance-hall-esque kicks with a snake charmer twist, this beat literally
has it all. Dabbla's fast, intricate flow is, as always, killer and
flawlessly executed. A chunky chorus to go with it and you'll be boppin'
so hard ya neck will break.
The first single to be released off the album is Yeah and this is
the tune that we think needs the biggest mention. One of our personal favourites but not just due to the lyrical content delivered from both
MC's, but Ghosttowns production skills transforming the roman-gypsie
style accordion sample used into a monster of a beat that I cannot get out of my head.
The video gives an example of a crazy cartoon like
world and resembles the sort of stuff Mr Scruff would illustrate after a
long night of watching David Firth cartoons. We heard this tune along
with the video when it dropped early July and we couldn't get
enough....... "YEAH....." "All I wanna do is get lean with my team, if you know what I mean, say YEAH!!!! I drink, I puff, I can't get enough and I couldn't give a f*** like YEAH!!!!!"
Once you hear the hook, it's in your head to stay, and if you've seen
the video too, you can't help but crack a smile every time you hear the "YEAH...." Every time, without fail.
We
decided to review these track as we thought these were our personal
favourites. All of this album pushes the boundaries and innovates to the
highest level and we highly encourage you to get the pre-order for the
album release on the 12th. Links below.
Oh,
and massive props to the art direction for this album. A gothic, almost
steam punk attire and setting with the right photo filtering give this
album the aesthetics you would probably consider a far-cry from the norm
in hip hop culture. A bold but very successful (in our opinion) move
cause it looks so damn cool.
To
close the review, we thought we'd leave you with one of the closing
statements from the press pack biography sent to us by High Focus as it
perfectly describes the trio. Big up High Focus for sending us another
banger. "The result? A fellowship so colourful the UK hip hop will celebrate
it's inception for years to come, but moreover, an outfit that looks set
to span a wide spectrum of genres and movements with the music they
make. Dead Players have written and recorded an album that equally
suited for a Tuesday evening barbecue with your obese Mother to a
Friday night SUPER RAVE. It really doesn't matter; you could be on a
sinking P&O ferry or playing strip croquet with Zsa Zsa Gabor, the
sheer music dexterity on display is a times, game changing. Just
ask them yourself. Go find them. They're about. Dabbla is currently in
traffic on Holloway Road, smoking a fist shaped zuggy, Baxter is
at Glastonbury (still) and Ghosttown is on Regent Central watching his
dog terrorizing EVERYTHING."
Brothers of the Stone – Self Titled LP – High Focus Records
2013
Brothers of the Stone are:
Leaf Dog
BVA
Illinformed
Only
three tracks into the album two things were already clear. Illinformed
is a beast, and Leaf Dog and BVA are equipped with sick vocal abilities
poised with a potent message.This is the hip hop sound that has been
neglected as of recently in the hip hop community but has been sorely
missed. If you're that guy, like us, always complaining about the
current state of music and how some artists don't reflect hip hop
accurately and generally commercialise hip hop, then look no further for
the remedy is at hand.
Brothers of the Stone’s self
titled debut has been 4 years
in the making and is well worth the wait. With appearances from
heavyweights
such as KRS One, Vinnie Paz and the main man behind High Focus,
Fliptrix, this album is a must have for any hip hop fan wanting a
stripped down, un-watered
sound. It’s a 14-track album and available on CD, vinyl, limited edition
vinyl
and digital download. Need more convincing? Read on....
In the press release, BVA states,
“From developing the first
tracks for the album, the idea was to always make a raw album that had no
desire to be commercial.”
“We've
written an album that stays with the listener, from
the bars to the beats. Illinformed has supplied the big sample based
banger's that aren't commercial hits for the club, but more dirty
classics for the
heads.”
Brothers of the Stones three
members consist of two Mc’s, Leaf Dog and BVA, who have been working together
since day one (The Three Amigos - Four Owls – RLD records) and Leaf Dog’s
younger brother Illinformed on the beats (worked with Ras Kass, Jedi Mind
Tricks, J Love) all unified by one goal –
to bring hip-hop back to its true glory, un-tainted by mainstream commercialism,
gathering artists from across the UK and overseas to collab with them using a very
DIY approach, trading “beats for bars, features for beat tapes,” and so on to
score an all-star line-up for the album. Leaf Dog quoted in the album inlet:
"For
all the fans, thank you for the support! I do this for those who think
like me and want that real hip hop! We didn't pay for any of the
features on this album, everything was made for the love of hip hop
music."
The reunion between Illinformed,
Leaf Dog and BVA happened when Illinformed returned to the South West from London,
completing the trio and allowing their musical ideals to flourish. Whilst they all
worked on various projects they continued to work on the Brothers of the Stone
album.
We’re going to go through and
break down some of our favourite tracks, talking about why they stand out.
Introduction – The album starts
with a statement about being confused and “zombie” like. Track one, Freedom,
drops with organ stabs and Leaf Dog addressing the listeners directly, “Time to
get free, this is for you, this is for me…” Leaf Dog hits this one solo,
setting a contextual theme for the album. A short track, but briefly describes
the journey he took to get to where he is.
They See You – The second single
and track two of the album (you may have already caught the official video that
was released a few weeks before the album dropped) starts with a distorted vocal
sample which sounds like it’s been played through an old gramophone. This
compliments the video’s Film Noir/detective theme and sits perfectly with the
rest of the track.
Leaf Dog takes the first verse
and delivers a signature story telling style by introducing us to the “guy-gets
jumped" scenario. Reliving the incident
and portraying an interrogation style account of the night he uses this imagery
to describe what it’s like to be censored musically.
“And then one spoke, with a
rusty throat, he said he’s gonna get me for the lyrics that I wrote...”
BVA hits verse two hard and
heavy from his first bar.
“We've got girls too young to drink, but sip man milk,
too dumb to pass the test but leave blood spilled….” Venting his frustrations on
a corrupt system where greed is primary and not wanting to sit back and take it
lying down.
“That’s how it goes? Nah, fuck
that I’m coming, cuz the war drum’s drumming and my crew always thinks of
something…”
The hook is accompanied by a
long, swelling, dissonant trumpet sample… “They see you, but you don’t see them.
So many signs, it’s hard to pretend. They see you, but you don’t see them, you
will realise when it comes to the end.”
The
beat, like the entire album,
hits hard. Although stripped down and simplified, the raw drum samples
and eerie
jazz vocals give this track depth and momentum, and is a prime example
of how
these 3 individuals need no help in the hip hop game, they complement
each
other vocally, lyrically and musically. The video is a perfect match for
the tune and had us eagerly awaiting the album before its release.
The next track to mention on our favourites run down is track 4, "Go Hate".
The
first thing to really draw our attention is the "Latin-jazz" styled
sampled played at the beginning of the tune... captured simply what
digging for samples is about, allowing room for the drums to come in
full swing.... instant headbanger. A simple message from all 3 MC's on
this track, haters are always gonna hate, regardless. And don't sell the
fuck out.
BVA kicks off the first verse with a shout-out to anti-commercialism. "Fuck being normal, unlike the rest of them, I got my own shit. My lyrics are so far out, sometimes it makes me homesick..."
"And the anacondas we can see ya slitherin', the circle of respect isn't something that you're living in..."
"Money-maker to crew-breakers and every hater, I say 'goodbye', I hope I don't see you later."
Reef
The Lost Cauze features on this track a keeps the theme of real hip
hop, not selling out and rejecting the mainstream industry.
Leaf Dog's first line "Different face, same case, I guess that they never knew that he won't accomplish all the shit that he said he'll do..." and further on "deep down I know you thought it was your destiny, but real skills are earned, that ego comes free..." all stand out and help solidify the message of staying true to what you do. Add the head-noddin' beat and you're left with a certified banger.
Number
5 on the album is Imagine and features a nostalgic Leaf Dog,
reminiscing about the early days, lifes "what-if's?" and how his love
for hip hop progressed, through to the evolution of the various crews
leading up to BOTS. Another lesson on how effective story-telling in hip
hop can be, this one not only stands out for its lyrical content, but
the beat that lays so perfectly behind it. From smooth, smoky sax
licks, hitting all the right notes (no pun intended) to the floaty piano
riffs and simple drums make this a short but instant classic.
Track
10 is Both Wicks and has the kind of beat behind it that makes you
wanna crack open Ableton, even if you can't write music. Literally
inspiring. Big strings, minor chords and broken marching drums... need I
say more? BVA is simply lethal on this tune, displaying he can kill it
on the track solo without losing any momentum. Big chorus will have you
chanting along to his tale of life on the daily struggle... another
story ridden beast of a tune.
The
first single to be released of the album was Cartoon Days, track 7 on
the album. It starts with sombre piano loop that fades out quickly for
the song to drop straight into the hook. (The video edit has a sweep
before the drop.)
"These
are cartoon days, see the words jump right off of the page, we all have
a role to play, I should warn ya, is it you? Is it me? Who's the
author?"
Deviating
from the moody, down tempo beats that accompanied the tracks previous,
this takes a more upbeat approach with a quicker tempo and big vocal
samples that help carry one of the albums more quirkier tracks. With
Leaf Dog taking the first and BVA taking the second, the single also
has a guest appearance from RLD's, Jack Jetson, on the third verse.
Track
12, Burning My Soul features Fliptrix and starts with Leaf Dog
reinforcing the earlier stated message, to stay clear of what it would
take to become commercial and mainstream.
Leaf Dog...
"I listen to the radio and feel my soul burning....."
"It wont change it's arranged by the powers that be......"
BVA...
"I never heard of the group, but I still hope they break up...."
"What's the definition of commercial?, an advert, make your record label money, while they dress you up in pampers..."
Fliptrix...
"We've been free from the chains, releasing the flames, ya not in the stream that's main..."
"Pop tarts forgetting why they started since they charted...."
The
beat has a great Motown/Northern Soul sounding vocal on the hook and a
deep bass alongside organ and guitar samples throughout the verse. This
beat is a personal favourite from the album.
Five years ago I never could have imagined a festival entirely devoted to Uk Hip Hop. This year from the 13th to the 15th of September I along with thousands of other UK hip hop fans were lucky enough to attend Boom Bap 2013. The line up alone was enough to convince any true fan to do any thing possible to get a ticket and the festival was worth every penny.
After arriving early Friday and luckily managing to avoid the long entry queue of eager hip hoppers from all across East Anglia and further, there was the initial rush of getting the tent together and scoping out the rest of the festival, grabbing a program to plan my weekend of UK Hip Hop madness. The first thing that caught my eye was the entrance to the festival site. The graffiti was a running theme through out the entire festival and showcased the talents of many UK artist wanting to show off their skills. The canvases ranged from big boards around the site to cars that had been cut in half ( one of my favourite features) and dotted around the site for our enjoyment. Extending the overall theme of hip hop culture further brought us to the mini ramps where skateboarders where doing their thing all weekend regardless of the weather making things difficult for them.
Already starting to feel at home I decided it was time to check out what we all came here for. First up, LDZ at the Producer stage. Half way through the first song I caught, the tent went from half full to capacity in seconds jammed wall to wall with an enthusiastic crowd going nuts to LDZ classics. Dabbla and crew knew how to keep the crowd and leave us thirsty for more.
One thing became clear early on, making a plan of who I wanted to see
and sticking to it was going to be impossible. Next up I managed to
catch Rum Committee on the main stage and they didn't disappoint. Its
still early and all ready, it's going off!
After a quick snack break it was time for one of the performances I, personally, had been looking forward too in the lead up to Boom Bap. Brothers of the Stone on the Producer stage, our first dose of many High Focus performances. Running through 3 Amigos and RLD anthems and finishing off with some of my favourite tracks off the new album.
Unfortunately, due to being glued to Brothers of the Stone I missed out on Dead Players on the main stage. Even though Jam Baxter was unable to make it to Boom Bap due to an injury I heard that Dabbla and Ghosttown held their own. I am still gutted I missed out on "Badman". But no time for regrets, next up on the main stage......
The Four Owls
The High Focus team are currently red hot on the UK scene. The Four Owls set on the first night and the High focus showcase on the second night were definite highlights of the whole week end. Fliptrix, Verb T, Leaf Dog and BVA all seem vibe off each other and had some of the best crowd control I have seen to date. After running through classics from Natures Greatest Mystery the Four Owls kept on giving by treating us to some unreleased material and bringing out Dirty Dike for Much to Much. Cant express enough how much this went off.
Due to one of the acts not being able to attend the main stage, the Four Owls and Dirty Dike kept the party going until it was time for Fridays' headline act, Rodney P. With the perfect mix of hip hop, dnb and some London Posse tracks thrown in for good measure. Rodney P capped of Friday as explosively as the day began.
At some point between the Four Owls and Rodney P, I managed to catch Shotty Horroh and Mosh Team perform an energetic set on the Promoters Stage.
After all the stages had closed for the first night, Square 1 were hosting a DJ battle until the early hours of the morning. We wish we could have stayed longer, but we needed to get some sleep to get us ready for the next day.
Saturday
The first half of Saturday was mostly spent chilling in half a car, reminiscing the night before and buzzing for the day a head. After lots of coffee and some of the fine food that was on offer from the festival site, we headed off to the main stage for Fliptrix and Verb T. They ran through a load of material featured on solo projects. I can't think of a better way to start the day. Classics like Fliptrix "The Highway" and Verb T's freshly dropped "I Remain" woke the weary crowd that were still hanging from the night before.
After this we headed over to something that caught me be surprise and kept me glued to the bitter end, The Louis Den Beat Battles.Some of the best Hip Hop producers from around the Uk Battled it out for the number one spot in an elimination style tournament. Producers would step to the decks two at time and play fresh beats to the crowd until a clear winner was decided. With the likes of Leaf Dog, Ill Informed, Bambu Hands and to many others to mention, you can only imagine the level of production that was on offer. This was so good we forgot about the rest of the festival going on and stayed put for for the duration.
We also caught a few of the rap battles hosted buy Tenchoo. Josh fox vs Logan was by far the best battle we witnessed on the day. Both came hard with Josh Fox taking the win. We also Caught the Act on words performance and was overly impressed with Deekay's freestyle ability and the groups overall performance
Sonny Jim was celebrating his Birthday in style on the main stage. I caught the end of his set and found it very amusing when he refused to leave the stage because he wanted to perform "Lemon Squeezy". It was worth it.
When Sonny Jim finally left the stage, the lights went out and the instantly recognizable intro to the UK Hip Hop anthem "It's Murder" was heard through the main stage speakers. The Main Stage instantly filled to capacity with people spilling out side trying to get a glimpse of the legend himself , Klashnekoff.
K Lash left the crowd fully hyped and ready for the next act, Reeps One He smashed out a lively beat box performance including Hip Hop and Dub Sep sounds, and everything in between. This was the clearest sound that came from the main stage the whole weekend, you could feel the bass go right through you.
The High Focus Showcase rounded up Saturday night on the main stage. Fliptrix, Verb T, BVA, Leaf Dog, Dirty Dike, Edward Scissortongue, and Rag and Bone Man were all in attendance and delivered the headline set you would expect from the best on the scene right now. Leaving the crowed way to energized to head back to the campsite, the crew announced after their set that an after party would be held at Square One stage and every one was invited. We all partied until the very early hours and got to mingle with most of the artists that had been performing throughout the day The whole day was a very memorable experience.
Sunday was a little hazy. The weather was horrible but people were up for more. Acts on the day included Dr Syntax and the Mouse Outfit, Mystro, Cracker Jon, Split Prophets Dirty Dike and was headlined by UK Hip Hop Pioneer, Chester P.
The acts mentioned in this review are just a small sample of how much was on offer over the 3 days. The Boom Bap Staff did an amazing job and delivered an A list line up. With plenty of food, clothing and record shops, all night cinema and an electric atmosphere throughout the whole weekend, we highly recommend getting your early bird tickets for next year. The Boom Bap team are already hinting at an impressive line up and new venue for next year. And they have also announced early bird tickets will be available from December. If you are a fan of UK Hip Hop, do not miss out on Boom Bap 2014. Massive thanks to Ivan Andre for the hook up and all the artists I got to interview for the radio show. I look forward to next year.
