Within the broad spectrum of gangsta rap, Jaaybo focuses almost exclusively on a single theme: murder. The kind through which the EBK gang takes revenge on its enemies. The kind that makes him mourn so many fallen. All of this is unsettling. However, by balancing aggression and melancholy equally, he establishes himself as the new leading figure of the Stockton scene.
Saba and No ID come from different generations, but they share their hometown of Chicago and a polished, refined approach to rap. Their collaboration results in a blend of jazz, soul, and introspective hip-hop. Enriched by numerous guest appearances and meticulous production, it is an eclectic work, where each track explores a different facet of the rapper, often brilliantly.
The debut album from California’s other major gangsta rap group. Another chapter in the Ruthless Records saga, but also a step forward in the evolution of the genre’s sound, as the angry, hard-hitting tracks of its early days sometimes give way to smoother grooves, celebrating the gangster lifestyle and the pleasures of being a hustler. This, indeed, is where g-funk begins.
Although Aesop Rock writes cryptic lyrics full of complex words and delivers them over science-fiction-sounding beats, his rap is very down-to-earth. It reflects on an ordinary life, on the existence of someone who goes to the supermarket, enjoys gardening and worries about his dog. But once again, nearly thirty years after his debut, Aes excels at making the ordinary extraordinary.
Another book on independent rap? The first one in English? And rather complete, informative, and efficiently put together, no less? There is every reason to welcome the existence of Ben Pedroche’s work. Even if at times it has the dryness of an encyclopedia and relies a bit too much on synthesizing what was already being said back then, without always taking advantage of the hindsight that time affords us.