I've never been to New Orleans, and most of what I know about the city is from popular culture, news reports, and documentaries. I'm due for a trip, but I'm also excited for David Simon's new show Treme to give me more insight into what may be one of the US' least understood (from the outside), but most interesting cities. I'm a big fan of Simon's, The Wire, and I'm ready for New Orleans to get some of the attention it deserves, something that in my opinion did a lot for Baltimore's notoriety on a global scale.
From Congo Square and folk tunes to 2nd line marches, its fomenting the roots of Jazz to influencing Ska, the flavor it adds to Funk and mainstream American Rap to the current Bounce scene in its various permutations, it has to be pound for pound the world's most influential musical city.
When I was in High School, Master P and his No Limit Records label were the giants of Southern Rap, the TRU album was definitely one of my favorites. P's marketed images of gritty New Orleans street life primed me for the upcoming national release of a more locally flavored sound:
This peek into New Orleans project life caught my attention, but the song with the shuffling snare that paced the quickly edited video, had me hooked. I must have gone straight out to the record store to find the CD, and remember being taken aback by the packaging when I came across the Pen and Pixel boxed CD cover.
I took the CD home, popped it in the player and out spit one of the most amazing album intros I've heard in my life, a Mannie Fresh produced tune:
Big Tymers-Intro (from Juvenile's 400 Degreez)At the time, I didn't know anything about the style that influenced the album, but there was something about the stuttering hi hats and snares, the funky horn stabs, and the smoothed-out drawl in the vocal delivery that made this one of my most exciting personal musical discoveries ever. It seemed old-school but fresh at the same time. Drawing connections across continents, it had the same aesthetic appeal that Coupe Decale has for me today.
The album's producer, Mannie Fresh, one of New Orleans' more prominent contemporary music names, started out in the 80's creating New Orleans Rap and Bounce tracks, leading to his best known work with Cash Money. This was the label that introduced, Juvenile, Lil' Wayne, and Birdman to the world (all who you can see at much younger and almost happily naive time in the above video.)
Many years later I am happy to see Bounce music, the bearer of the energy contained in that Juvenile album, make its way into the consciousness of music fans across the country. If you want to hear Bounce from a bit of a historical perspective check from out a great mixtape series by Cocaine, Blunts, and Hip Hop Tapes, and definitely make regular visits to Nolabounce.com for updates on what's happening in the contemporary scene.
Oh, and Juve's still making videos:
U G H
Posted by: sandra bullock | March 30, 2010 at 12:58 PM
I recently wrote about N.O. "sissy" rap, by gay cross-dressing rappers:
http://musicformaniacs.blogspot.com/2010/03/rap-is-for-sissies.html
I think THIS is the kinda thing WFMU types can dig.
Posted by: MrFab | March 30, 2010 at 01:59 PM
Well Jesse, if you USED to love Hip Hop, than I wouldn't really venture to justify this as that, and hold it up against anything that claimed to be that.
This is New Orleans Bounce-Rap, something different. Yes, Juvenile's a rapper, but his tradition (that for instance can be heard in the melody of the chorus on Ha) comes from a much older musical lineage than Hip Hop. (C'mon, y'all don't just love the shuffle snares?)
Mr. Fab is right, I should probably highlight other parts of the contemporary scene to give a fuller understanding to the genre, and I hope that before judging the music I posted, you check the links I highlighted. Nevertheless, I already have an idea for a post to give a more rounder genealogical picture.
While I do personally enjoy Juvenile's and Cash Money's music, I really wanted to highlight what is a fairly significant moment in American cultural history, the national breakthrough of Cash Money records, and touch on the environment that produced them, and why their success is significant.
Posted by: Boima | March 30, 2010 at 03:26 PM
Cash Money Forever!
Posted by: Dave | March 30, 2010 at 03:34 PM
I love Bounce. I think the Coupe Decale connect is a very good one to make, as well as to all the other styles that rely on rythmic flow created by a minimal set of electronic instruments. No border between this sort of stuff.
I started out at the obscurist end, falling for DJ Jubilee off some radio show and then going straight for a Take Fo' compilation. I'm just recently discovering the Cash Money stuff and wish I'd paid more attention at the time!
Posted by: Birdseed | March 30, 2010 at 04:55 PM
I sing "Ha" at least once a day.
Posted by: WmMBerger | March 30, 2010 at 05:38 PM
Fuck the haters Boima, New Orleans bounce and rap is some of the best. I have a lot of it and was so psyched when I first heard it. BIG New Orleans music fan, and I never really thought of it along with Coupe Decale like you did. There is so much steaming from the Caribbean especially in the music, I mean if New Orleans birthed jazz (or jass as it was first called), Haiti was the father. I actually got into hip hop through Cash Money when I was in like 4th grade through my cousin, at least got more into it.
CANNOT forget about the Mardi Gras Indians too! While not actually being there to experience it might be a problem, the Wild Magnolias and Wild Tchoupitoulas records are fantastic.
There is a chance I might actually move there in the near future, some friends just moved there and love it.
Posted by: dave quam | March 30, 2010 at 11:08 PM
i have a mix CD i made many years ago -- at a particularly inspired point it segues from Beatles "Helter Skelter" into Juvenile's "Ha" into Six Finger Satellite "Human Operator"
it's about the best fucking mix i've ever made
i'd like to recommend the JD MONEY & SOLE track "WHO DAT?" as well.
miami, priority records, good skittery beats
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh_r4ua8fDE
ya ya ya ya ya ya
Posted by: special tommy | March 31, 2010 at 12:30 AM
i just found out that JD Money single was produced in 1999 by the same guy that did Beyonce's "Single Ladies."
damn he rich.
Posted by: special tommy | March 31, 2010 at 12:37 AM
I am in heaven, weeping.
Posted by: Martin Luther King Jr. | March 31, 2010 at 01:22 PM
Whats he saying about Jews?
Posted by: Jon | April 01, 2010 at 01:47 AM