Symphony Orchestra meets Hip-Hop Classics!

Many attempts at “mashing up” Hip-Hop and classical music have failed miserably, but Polish composer/beatmaker Radzimir “JIMEK” Dębski has pulled it off masterfully. Much like Californian composer and Dilla disciple Miguel Atwood-Ferguson’s Suites for Ma Dukes, classical hip-hop covers work best when the composer is both a certified orchestrator and rap fan.

Jimek chose 30 hip-hop tracks and composed orchestration so that they can be succesively interpreted by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. The opening track is incredible and sets the mood for a stipped down and symphonic take on classic rap songs. Favorites include Mobb Deep’s Giving Up the Goods, Nas is Like and JIMEK’s own compositional closer, the guy even managed to make Thong Song sound good! Check the tracklist below for the full program and hopefully this sucessful event inspires other likeminded composer’s to experiment with this type of hybrid genre compositions. Lexis and I are cooking up a special mix in this vein so keep you ears open!

1. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools
2. M.I.A. – Bad Girls
3. Wiz Khalifa – Black and Yellow
4. 2Pac – Dear Mama
5. Cam’Ron – Hey Ma
5. Barry White – Basketball Jones /feat. Chris Rock
6. Jay-Z – Girls Girls Girls (Tom Brock)
7. Tribe Called Quest – Electric Relaxation
8. Wu-Tang Clan – C.R.E.A.M
9. Mobb Deep – Give Up The Goods
10. Kanye West – Flashing Lights
11. 50 Cent – In Da Club
12. 50 Cent – Outta Control /feat. Mobb Deep
13. Jay-Z – Lost One
14. Jay-Z – Roc Boys
15. Beastie Boys – Sure Shot
16. Nas – Nas is Like
17. Dr. Dre – Still D.R.E.
18. Xzibit – Alcoholic
19. Missy Elliott – Get Your Freak On
20. Dr. Dre – What’s the Difference feat. Eminem
21. M.O.P. – Cold As Ice
22. M.O.P. – Ante Up
23. Pharoahe Monch – Simon Says
24. Beyoncé – Crazy In Love
25. Snoop Dogg – Drop It Like Its Hot feat. Pharell
26. Sisqo – Thong Song
27. Nicky Minaj – Anaconda
28. Wu-Tang Clan – Gravel Pit
29. Baauer – Harlem Shake
30. JIMEK x Pezet – Nie Muszę Wracać

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Antoine-Samuel Mauffette Alavo

DJ Asma

A Montreal native with West-African roots, Antoine started developing a love for records when his father passed his collection of French, African, Caribbean and Brazilian classics onto him. Ever since, the collector turned selector has spent countless hours in musky basements both here and abroad (Dakar, Lima, Paris, Quito, Rio) in the never-ending search for the perfect beat!