Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of tracks released by Associated Minds, a Cardiff based hip hop record label. I got deeply into UK hip hop about 2 or 3 years ago when I realised that there was more to it than the grimy, mindless rap you’d hear during the day on BBC 1xtra. The proper stuff is fantastic.
To me, UK hip hop contains a purity which is present because it’s a relatively new genre. It’s as if the artists have nothing to prove and can single themselves out simply by making ’the real stuff’, with well produced old-school style beats and thought provoking lyrics. I came across artists on Dented Records like the Foreign Beggars, Dubbledge, Dr Syntax, Stig Of The Dump, Skrein and DJ Nonames all at once. It’s nice to have found another record label which follows suit but also has its own individual sound. You’ll be glad to hear that the Associated Minds’ bandcamp has plenty of cheap, free and name your own price tracks: http://associatedminds.bandcamp.com/
The following track is by Metabeats, an Associated Minds producer and one of the few UK hip-hop producers with the confidence to release full albums under their own name (Ghost is another good’un). It also features Dubbledge (Dented Records), who manages to inject humour into this track whilst pontificating on a rather controversial subject. It’s got a great music video too. UK music never dies!
1 Comment
WOW this Simon guys has put up some good stuff. Nice to see some one loving the UK hip hop. Keep it coming!