Pint-Sized MC Extravaganza
MORE MP3s from Da Hip Hop Rascalz, which is a project for NYC professor/composer/musician Dave Soldier, the man behind such projects as the Downtown-via-Mississippi group the Kropotkins, and recordist of the legendary Thai Elephant Orchestra. Last year, he put up a few MP3s on his site of hip-hop tracks written and arranged by various East Harlem schoolkids age 5 through 10, who kick out the jams under the recording supervision of himself and Elena Langer. Despite the fact there's been no previous exposure to this, and there's no inherited legacy ala Li'l Eazy E at work, these kids turn out to be sporting some talent, and we're thrilled to see that even more tracks are up. Check out MP3s of: "I Don't Want You No More" by TuffKidz, "Jumpin'" by ABC Group, "Xtreme Team Funkydelic Mix" by Xtreme Team Funkydelics, "What's My Name" by Boys and Girls Club of the Night, "Chicken Wing" by Looneytunes, "Do the Lollipop" by Sweetness, "Feel Tha Beat" by Los Nonameos, "Woke Up" by the School Rock Band, "I Want Candy" by the Muffletoes, "Barney Mac" by Hiphop Skyhigh, "Schooldogs Rule the Halls" by the Muffletoes, "1 2 3 Go" by 911 Rock n Roll Coyotes (my favorite group name), "T Rex" by Chelsea and the Mighty Lions, and also two tracks by Dave's nieces, "Ghosty" by Isabella Azoff, and "Happy Go Lucky Day" by Michelle Azaroff. What is most affirming about hearing this stuff is how into it these kids seem, and unlike some of the spotlight-hoggers being clearly manipulated by their money-hungry dads-slash-management (no Bow Wow vs. Li'l Romeo court action), instead the Rascalz project allows for total (albeit uncommercial in the eyes of Jive, Def Jam etc) creative freedom. I played the Sweetness track on the air (my fave of the lot) and midtown listeners reported the Def Jam offices were locking down and everyone was going home.
It needs to be said next that Kriss Kross owes a lot to Troy the Wonder Boy, whose "jump jumps" seem to have gotten lifted pretty brazenly and somehow I suspect a check was not drawn up (I'd make the same comparison for House of Pain if they were kids I suppose). But even without that parallel ,the single for "Electric 1000" (MP3) reigns as one of the most insane kid moments committed to vinyl, Troy sounds like an asthmatic Herve Villachaise inside microwave popcorn bag. The boogie electro factor is supreme, the human beatboxing is from outer space. I say committed to vinyl, though I personally don't own it, wish I did. This comes off a cassette (so excuse the secondary warble at the beginning!) I recorded when Gimme Gimme Records' Dan Cook and the late great Lynnfield Pioneers played and spun crazy jams on my show back in 1999. I've only seen one other record around online, under the monicker "Troy the Wonder Boy and Duck" selling around the $50 zone, and one can only guess what Duck is up to. If anyone has any more info or MP3s of our boy, please get in touch!
Finally, our own Jason Elbogen points us to yet more sounds from the Rappers Delight Club, 2006 recordings, "First Ladies Club" (MP3), "Hum" (MP3), "Tick Tock" (MP3), "We're Not Done" (MP3). Keep your eyes peeled, at some point, DJ Monica promises a full comprehensive look at hip-hop kid history here on the blog.
Below is a digest of all MP3-happy posts in Beware of the Blog over the past month (burned and peeled by Liz Berg):
- Experimental, improv, avant garde tracks for extended play, by artists like Kaoru Abe, AMM, and DDAA, made available here thanks to William Berger.
- Cambodian hip-hop MP3s, delivered from Siem Reap by Liz Berg.
- Download an MP3 of Tommy Lasorda's infamous blue streak, dropped harshly upon an unsuspecting reporter. Posted by Brian Turner.
- Feeling disappointed about the way you spent 6-6-06? Fear not, for Ken has posted a glut of evil MP3s that are guaranteed to bring the devil out of you over and over again.
- Speaking of evil, you can't find anything darker than extremist-vegan-hate-fi. Satan-monger Brian Turner presents a tune by the band Em Dath Rir.
- Brian Turner kindly unleashes and MP3-ified version of the loopy b-side of Blues Control's latest cassette release.
- Romance that special someone with sweet, croony pop from Scott Williams' favorite Eurovision superstar, Vicky Leandros.
- Fox News Radio let one slip: a 'fuck,' that is. Savor the moment in MP3.
- Late 70s / early 80s downtown post-punk. Did that set off your radar? Brian Turner generously frees this great Information song from analog.
- Noseflutes: all the rage in Germany. No joke. Cover tunes out the nose, posted here by Lukas.
- World Cup-related audio nonsense, courtesy of Ken.
- Louie the Cabbie from the Perry Como show recorded an entire album. Yep. And it's all available right here, thanks to Ken.
- Jersey City kitty Frick provides vocals for this rocking tune, posted by Brian Turner.
- The entire Rite of Exorcism LP is posted here. When pea soup violently erupts from your daughter's mouth, William Berger comes to the rescue.
- Schmaltzy 70s organ ballads, sung by poodle-toting, SF bar regular Margie Brandon. Where does Fatty Jubbo dig this stuff up?
- Dig this new Dan Deacon happy-spazz-glitch song, posted by Brian Turner.
- The battle between good and evil is like a football game. Or it is a football game, depending on whether you are a True Average Christian American. True MP3 weirdness from Lukas.
- Sure you may have heard the Russian national anthem, aka The Internationale. But have you heard the Chinese metal version? Ken has even more versions of this famous tune up his sleeve, check 'em out here.
- Rock and roll chainsaw massacre, posted here by Brian Turner.
- Mike Lupica presents a ton of rare and genius Rancid Hell Spawn MP3s; you'll be converted yet.
- Screamo. Yes, William Berger has some unresolved "issues."
- Get your hands on Chicago no-wave MP3s from the Scissor Girls, nostalgically presented by Fatty Jubbo.
- Scrape up the dirge from Ken's inbox. It's actually quite awesome.
- Doom and destructo from Milanese band Ovo, posted by Brian Turner.
- Lukas offers up stripped-down blues from Ann Arbor street musician, Jake.
- Sick of the ice cream truck circling your block with that annoying jingle on repeat? Of course not! You want more mind-numbing ice cream truck tunes, don't you?
- Brooklyn Bridge drone, posted by Ken.
- Ken is also your primary source for Finnish Humppa music.
- The singing voice of Mr. Ed also recorded an album of cold war-themed folk songs. Only Ken would have something like that lurking in his basement.
- Bill Hicks decries Orrin Hatch while Government Issue plays in the background. Remix courtesy of Mike Lupica.
- Ken posts a Jimi Hendrix music removal tape, full of in-between song banter and rants.
- German football players belting it out. An audio slide-tackle, presented by Lukas.
- Debbie posts MP3s from Harmon Bethea and The Agents, feel his lone ranger mask.
- Just in case this nation's birthday passed you by without incident or fanfare, bask in the patriotic glory of Nicholas Miglio's "Hooray for the USA," muchas gracias, Brian Turner.
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