Hot Dog blogged about the Cool Catz before. There is no question that these guys are good. They are also based out of LA. And they put together a sound that can really be described as indie rap. And knowing that the hip hop community hates labels, I know that no one is going to like being called indie rap. But let me try and clarify.
Indie rap in this year of our Lord, 2009, really means inventive rap – or progressive rap. A lot of the best music in hip-hop right now isn’t coming from the major labels who are trying to throw whatever Ryan Seacrest thinks is cool down your throat. The best music is coming from underground innovation that is too good not to notice – Kid Cudi, Wale, and K’Naan.
And in addition to these artists who are broadening the sound of hip-hop, there are others that are incorporating other cutting edge genres of music. Underground hip-hop has shown that it is well aware of MGMT and Passion Pit. And they are even more aware of what happens when you combine the two. Just take a look at what happened when Kid Cudi, MGMT, and Ratatat all got on a track together – I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I think that was the biggest song to ever hit the Hype Machine.
Underground hip-hop also realizes that cutting up a hip indie electro song is also their version of the break-through cover song. I’m just saying it might be a bit silly if Cudi did a slowed down version of a Ludacris song to break into the biz.
For your Monday pleasure here are a couple of groups that are looking for their shoot at your discerning ear. In my opinion these are two bands you are going to be seeing on Billboard charts in the future. So you might as well get in on it early while they’re still rocking over Indie beats to make bread.
The Cool Catz of course are that ‘from Nashville to LA’ group. And Chiddy Bang is the group with Xaphoon Jones making the beats. I’m not sure which band I like better, but I do know that Xaphoon makes some pretty unique beats. You’d say he’s sort of like a mash-up king until you realize most of the beat is original.
The Cool Catz are set to release something on iTunes in December called The Free Fall. That is all I know about that release, but hopefully the Catz can give us more info in the comments (they are cool like that). And Chiddy Bang is currently promoting their mixtape, The Swelly Express (which I found on Kickin’ the Peanuts!)
PANTyRAID – Beba (Cool Catz Remix)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Chiddy Bang – All Things Go (with Sufjan Stevens)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Darwin Deez – Radar Detector (Xaphoon Jones Remix)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
That Chiddy Bang song is firin’
I’m a big big fan of this whole ‘rapping over indie songs’ movement that came about this year…I’m still waiting for someone to drop a verse over Dirty Projector’s ‘Stillness Is The Move’ – that break beat is BEGGING to be remixed!
…and holy shit, that Darwin Deez song is a heater!
Propz to U guys for a proper write up. Much repect to the muffin.. Except when girls stop watching their figure and they get that muffin top thing.. That’s when muffins are not so hot.. These are like butta..
The Free Fall is a single that’ll be hitting the iTunes next month. It’s a collab with our good friends Shotgun Radio who are also repped up on this Beba Remix. They’re more of an electronica flavor meets skillful lyricism. We’re putting together a tour for 2010: Bulletz & Catnip.
And I think we’ll take a listen to that Dirty Projector track now and see what happens..
Also LOVING the new Idle Warship mixtape. So weird and cool.
Personally, I think that Metermaids did the whole Chicago sampling thing a bit better, but that’s just me.
@RJ – I found that Metermaids song you’re talking about…are you kidding me?? Chiddy Bang kills that version – KILLS!!
Here is that track for those interested:
http://reel-around-the-fountain.blogspot.com/2008/12/request-time-on-harbour.html
Chiddy Bang tune is honestly off the chain… Nice to finally hear some quality hip hop
Oh no way what the fuck
okay
Chiddy Bang is basically trying to ape Kanye with their track, all the way down to the chipmunk vox
Metermaids on the other hand give the track a fucking fantastic break to build the track from
Admittedly, Chiddy has better lyrics- but Metermaids apes it in every other way. I like the flow much more in their case. It’s less knowingly hipster fauxrony snark pretention and more LET’S GO YEAH AWESOME.
Come on, honestly.Chiddy may fit the clubs more, but Metermaids is far, far more FUCKYEAH in my eyes.
Let me put it this way: it’s almost tantamount to comparing 3 Feet High And Rising with Graduation. Sure, both are good, and sure, Kanye made a catchier record, but there’s really no contest as to which is better.