Review Wed Jul 09 2008

Free Hipster... I mean Hip Hop Mix!

The term Hipster Rap or Hipster Hop has some how become an insult. When you look at Chicago acts like Lupe Fiasco, The Cool Kids, Kidz in the Hall, Hollywood Holt, Mic Terror, etc. you see extremely successful musicians with inventive beats. Regardless of the label, these acts are gaining fans and major recognition. An example of this is the recent announcement that the Kidz in the Hall track “The Blackout” (from May’s The In Crowd) will be featured on the soundtrack for EA Sports Madden NFL 2009. Steve Schnur, worldwide executive of music and marketing for Electronic Arts, said "we believe that this time next year, Kidz In The Hall will be true Hip-Hop superstars." So if rhyming about jeans, nail polish, cappuccino, skate boards, and Chuck Taylor’s will make you ‘Hip-Hop superstars’ then I say go for it! I suppose mentioning Mark Rippen in your songs doesn’t hurt either.

[LINK] Hipster Hop Presented By Ray Protégé (Link updated!)

Chicago’s DJ Ray Protégé has put together a mixtape that attempts to both chronicle this new movement and in a way remove the ‘ster’ from ‘hipster’. The mix is Chicago heavy, but is also feature The Knux, Donnis, Izza Kizza, and others. The purpose behind the track selection and various sound bites from the emcees themselves is to stress the point that whatever you want to call it it is still hip hop. In fact, as you listen through these tracks they really trace back to the golden era of hip hop and acts like Nice and Smooth, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Kid n’ Play, Das Efx, and so on. The beats are solid, the rhymes are fun, and the fans are responding.

Hipster Hop Presented By Ray Protégé Tracklist

1. Double O (Kidz In The Hall Speaks On Hipster Rapper Label)
2. Kidz In The Hall ft Donnis and Chip The Ripper: Mr. All of That Sh^T
3. Pac Div: Paper
4. Mic Terror: Hiooo (Produced By M$M)
5. The Cool Kids: Oscar
6. The Knux: Capuchino Remix
7. Mickey Factz ft N.E.R.D: Don't B Light
8. Wale: Artistic Integrity
9. Kid Cudi: Mastered (Produced By A-Trak)
10. The Cool Kids: Dinner Time
11. Kid Cudi: f Wale IS There Any Love
12. Mickey Factz: Addresses Hipster Label
13. Mickey Factz ft The Cool Kids: Rockin And Rolling
14. Izza Kizza ft Missy Elliot: Walking The Dog
15. Phone Call W/ Hollywood Holt
16. Hollywood Holt: Hollywood
17. Mic Terror ft Donnis: Owee
18. Mic Terror Talks about Hipster Label
19. Pac Div: Love it
20. Donnis: L.o.v.e. Boyfriend

Check out Ray Protégé’s other mixes and his various appearances over at his myspace page.

— Jason Behrends / Comments (2)