The Band: Ladyhawke
The Buzz: Pouty New Zealand chanteuse (real name: Pip Brown) stimulates your Lauper gland.
Listen If: You can complete this lyric: "I remember hating you for loving me/Riding on the __________."
Key Track: "Back of the Van," a song so terrifically '80s you can almost taste the Aqua Net.
The Band: Tanya Morgan
The Buzz: Never mind the name — Tanya Morgan is a hip-hop trio with an affinity for soul breaks, big beats and complex, conscious lyrics.
Listen If: You can name the four essential elements of hip-hop, and you're bummed that most popular rappers cannot.
Key Track: "Threemcees," which introduces the world to the concept of a "bi-polar bear." Which is perhaps a distant relative to the "Hypochondrioctopus"?
The Band: Black Ghosts
The Buzz: London electro duo gaining traction thanks to a recent Diplo remix.
Listen If: You used to play Colecovision just for the soundtracks.
Key Track: That Diplo remix of "Repetition Kills You," which twists the band's bright bounce down 10 octaves until it sounds like something from Violator.
Share
Email
Stumble
AIM
Del.icio.us
DiggThis
Fark It!
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
Get RS Mobile
RSS
brockbeta6676 | September 27, 2008 1:35 PM
pow pow ChiCOW POW
brockbeta6676 | September 26, 2008 11:59 PM
public apology ok?
you gotta check out KONGCRETE if you like heavier hip hop rock | July 10, 2008 2:17 AM
I was watching an NYC-based band playing at a music festival, and was totally blown away. They were a black-fronted band called Kongcrete that totally rocked out. It was heavy as heck. And it got me thinking, "Where did Living Color and Bad Brains go? And why aren't there more black-fronted hardcore rock bands?" I'm curious to know if anyone out there has any recommendations. The only decent hardcore black-fronted rock band to emerge in the last year or 2 has been Kongcrete which I found on myspace (myspace .com /kongcrete), iTunes, and YouTube. Are there any other rockin' black bands out there who really know what hip hop is about?
I'm also wondering if musicical genres really are as segregated as they seem. With seemingly so few black-fronted bands, why is it that hip hop's mashup and crossover to hard rock had to be done by Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park? Sure, there were collaborations with Cypress Hill and Run DMC, but even they weren't entirely representative of a purely black endeavour. I'm not trying to be controversial. I'm just making a simple, but perhaps ignorant, observation. Please educate me. For the most part, it seems like hip hop remains black (Eminem and Vanilla Ice notwithstanding) and rock remains white. And each genre is sort of independently rotting and becoming more sacharine with each major radio station rotation.
I remain hopeful however. I recently learned about subgenres such as "Hood Rock" in L.A. and the South, and "Ghetto Rock" in NYC. I believe these genres have their roots in the raunchy boisterous live sounds of Dirty Southern Hip Hop and Crunk. Southern musicians began experimenting by combining club-friendly chants with live instrumentation as well as other seemingly incongruent genres such as folk, blue grass, and even country. But these experiments remained largely in the fringes until black musicians in rock bands such as Kongcrete began adding distortion pedals and a heavier feel. Perhaps it was a desire to distinguish their music from other subgenres pejoratively known as "white boy rock rap", but the new subgenre of heavy black music and hip hop gradually became known as "Hood Rock" or "Ghetto Rock" almost as if the projects and the poorer neighbourhoods were reclaiming ownership of a section of the hardrock genre. Kongcrete has certainly made an impressive debut, and I hope other bands will emerge to break down the walls.
Gel | July 7, 2008 6:57 PM
Congrats TM!! Looking forward to seeing them on tour with Hiero
CowSic | July 6, 2008 8:36 PM
I saw Ladyhawke live recently.
She played some rock.
This surprised me.
Still would,
though.
icewatermetalik | June 28, 2008 10:15 PM
Tanya Morgan is the greatest and has alot more depth than just conscious rappers, don't pigeon hole! These dudes are all around kick ass emcees with insight, comedy and talent. Long story short, these dudes can spit and are awesome.
A Brother Named... | June 28, 2008 2:24 AM
Mentioning the Almighty TM in your blog is definitely good for business. My Lessondary fam are bringing pure unadulterated dope shit for these bat heads.
Tanyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...
Morrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgannnnnnn!!!!
Brooklynati isn't that far off geographically speaking but it's sure to be out of this solar system raw!!!
bc(3.0) | June 27, 2008 7:23 PM
i tape tanya morgan!
bitty | June 27, 2008 5:13 PM
tanya morgan? that's what's up! good pick j. ed
essvee | June 27, 2008 4:36 PM
i spend money on TM
Geezie F Baby... | June 27, 2008 4:13 PM
Them Boys is Good!!
Aeon | June 27, 2008 1:32 PM
GO TANYA MORGAN! they are the band to watch for 2008!!!
TM fan | June 27, 2008 12:04 PM
tanya morgan is ultra sexy...have you seen her?
rick | June 27, 2008 11:42 AM
Von, Don, and Il are like the 3 wisemen. TM all day!
U-Mag | June 27, 2008 11:13 AM
I could big up Tanya Morgan all day (and I do), but really, you need to see them for yourself. Catch them on tour with Hieroglyphics in Jul/Aug - It's a 45 city tour, so you have no excuse. You won't be sorry.
Nordy | June 27, 2008 10:45 AM
I saw Tanya Morgan perform in April. Those dudes put in some work. Go seem if they come through your city.
YO | June 27, 2008 6:28 AM
The almighty TM
Justin | June 27, 2008 5:10 AM
Tanya Morgan is the iddish!!! Easily one of the best new rao groups out.
hello | June 24, 2008 3:18 AM
i love Tanya Morgan, i have all of her Cds.
fontgangsta | June 23, 2008 5:05 PM
TANYA MORGAN! woot!
brockbeta6676 | June 20, 2008 10:45 AM
well i really think that she really needs some help