Updated Notes: Solesides
Oliver S Wang
Zen) the unofficial mentor of the entire Solesides crew which includes
Blackalicious. (Thank god...another ABC who's into hip hop!) Here's
some basic updates on Solesides' sh*t:
Asia Born:
#1: He's called Lyrics Born now...his new moniker is quite widely
displayed on the "Deep in the Jungle" cut on "Melodica" (Blackalicious).
#2: "Entropy" is hardly new, unless places are getting it on
reissue or even a much delayed first issue. The cut was on a joint Asia
Born/DJ Shadow 12" that came out in '93 I think...or else early '94.
DJ Shadow:
He's got a new 12" out..."What Does Your Soul Look Like?" parts
I-IV. Rumor is that it's a "lazy DJs dream" given the amount of samples
and change-ups Shadow puts into the tracks. If you've never heard his
sh*t before...it's something else... Shadow is an abstract turntablist
(to borrow the Mo Wax term)...another way that his production has been
described is "thick" which seems very apt. Bottomline: Listening to his
sh*t, you never notice he doesn't have lyrics over them.
Especially look for the promo 12" of this single which is only
smaller (10") vinyl. FAT.
Blackalicious:
Currently, "Melodica" is still ONLY available on the import Mo
Wax label. As I've mentioned in the past, DJs (i.e. us crazy people who
have this affinity for playing pieces of plastic) should look to get this
EP on import b/c it offers instrumentals for almost all the songs. The
domestic version will NOT. But on the other hand, if you buy the
domestic release, at least the artists will make some money off the CDs,
tapes and LPs which they aren't really making now.
As to the all important question of when will "Melodica" come out
domestically? Zen sez: "Soon." ...and there it is...
Oh yeah, there's supposed to be a Japanese import of "Melodica"
that has an unreleased cut called "Changes" (hella fat!) but I haven't
seen or heard about anywhere that's actually carried this particular import.
Lastly...
Not to disagree with Flash (but I will) but I hardly would
classify anyone in Solesides...or the entire Bay Area as being a product
of any "LA underground freestyle movement". Kids like the Hieros were
rapping their asses off long before Good Times (legendary, now closed,
freestyle spot in LA) was in its heydey with Pharcyde in the house. Most
of the Solesides crew are from the Bay Area, but went out to Davis to go
to school/work.
I'm not being territorial about it...I have deep respect to the
Project Blowed posse that is leading the charge for cutting edge LA hip
hop right now, along with King Tee's progenies (Alkaholiks, Mad Kap).
But I've never heard of the Bay's current talent being a result of some
northern migration.
Peace,
O-D.U.B.
no APAthy
"these computations just as potent"
Flash, founder and editor of HardC.O.R.E.
> Not to disagree with Flash (but I will) but I hardly would
> classify anyone in Solesides...or the entire Bay Area as being a product
> of any "LA underground freestyle movement". Kids like the Hieros were
> rapping their asses off long before Good Times (legendary, now closed,
> freestyle spot in LA) was in its heydey with Pharcyde in the house. Most
> of the Solesides crew are from the Bay Area, but went out to Davis to go
> to school/work.
Although I _do_ stand corrected in a sense, I will throw in this 0.02
I didn't mean that LA freestyle migrated to the Bay Area, or vice versa.
What I meant was I feel that LA is the spirtual center for all of west
coast hip-hop. LA is the only place out West that can truly claim "old
school", and if there hadn't been an LA scene there never would have been a
Bay Area scene.
* Steve 'Flash' Juon * Funkmaster Flex and the Ghetto Celebs --- Ol Dirty *
* Box 2419, BVC * "...I love rap, and rap loves me..." Bastard *
* 610 W 4th St * *
* Storm Lake, IA 50588 * KBLK 99.9 URL="http://library.uncc.edu/people/chris/"*