New York City, aka the Empire State. We have all been influenced by its culture, It’s Architecture, Its Street Art, it’s music, it’s fashion and food, it’s slang, and as Nas so eloquently wrote, many of us have been influenced by its state of mind. Not only in the United States, but all over the globe. Internationally, the culture of Hip Hop, which was conceived in the “City That Never Sleeps”, has sprouted deep roots on every continent. Including Germany, where the One Man Boom Bap Manufacturing Plant known as BOFAAT has been producing grimey street Hop for some of Hip Hops most slept on and Iconic emcees. For the past 5 years, BO FAAT has made it his personal mission to make sure the boom bap production style made famous by DJ PREMIER, PETE ROCK, DIAMOND D, LARGE PROFESSOR, THE BEATMINERZ & D&D STUDIO would not grow extinct, but continue thriving world wide in the present Soundscape. On His latest release on SNOWGOONS RECORDS, “TALES FROM THE ROTTEN APPLE”, he calls on some of NY’s most respected voices, old and new, to remind us on Hip Hops 50th Anniversary, where this all started.
Put on your Baggy Cross Color Jean’s, and Fubu shirt. Tuck your jean legs in your Timbos and grab that green brimmed scully cap (Ski Goggles Optional). It’s “NOSTALGIA” time as NINE DOUBLE M and CROTONA P set off the album by taking us back to a time when that Real Shit played on every block, on the Radio and on Cable TV. NINE made his rep in that era when “almost every rapper had skills, The most competition you could ever face”, CROTONA P is one of the most active spitters of this modern Indie Era. They both speak from a place of experience with the stripes to prove it, making this a solid album opener.
The crew known as BACK BLOCK GANG, made up of JUXX DIAMOND, KING HARV, HAZERNOMICAL, LEDGER & MAPH, deliver a track and hook that will leave you screaming “GODDAMMIT”!! The instrumental by BOFAAT starts off smooth and spooky until the bars come out. Thats when the team goes ape shit and the song goes from silent cat burglary to violent home invasion.
Hood Star on the Rise, EDDIE KANE, drops the lp title track and provides a modern anthem for the home of Hip Hop. The stories he tells on each of the two verses paints a perfect picture of modern day New York City, where “certain blocks are still functioning like its the 80’s”. Legal Weed that’s illegal to sell, Crack Heads down the block from Wall Street, Crooked Cops gunning down civilians and the struggle to rise above it all are all encapsulated in this BO FAAT banger where sirens are used as backing samples to pad the piano and Horns that push EDDIE KAINE to paint this vivid portrait.
You know what the Rotten Apple has plenty of? Rats. The Rodent and Human breed. Here comes Brooklyn Veteran Emcee BAD SEED on his exterminator shit on “RATATOUILLE”, the latest single that has been getting spins in the underground, and an expertly written song about snitching and how this was unacceptable back in the day. Now Bad Seed isn’t condoning giving stitches to regular civilians for reporting crime to the police and trying to keep their neighborhoods safe. Nah, he makes it clear on the second verse what the difference is between a snitch and a law-abiding citizen, and what the proper penalty should be for the former.
There aren’t two many names as notable as BAD SEED in Brooklyn, but here is one. The Coco Brovas of Bucktown, who make an appearance on a joint taylor made for them by BOFAAT, one of their biggest fans. “MR. SMIFF & MR. WESSUN” get legendary over a smooth banger accompanied by some cool Chimes, Flutes and a dope Baseline that carries the song. Def one of the stand out joints on the project.
Another Album single, ONE STONE brings us street knowledge from the Big Bro JUS P, COMET MADMEN & Gs ADVANCE. These brothers are sharing gems. Wether you pick them up or not is up to you. I recommend wearing gloves if you do. Then there is EBRO ft C-MOEZ. A grimey sidewalk knocker full of that ignorance, where MO EZ takes you “Back to the Block”. With bars like “I’m not these other rappers who be capping dawg/ I’m a rapper that will stomp um like a Kappa dawg/” C-MO is aborting rap wannabes. And if he “Get Your Bitch Pregnant, Coat Hanger, take um right out of you”. I told you…Pure Screw Face Ignorance.
Joints like THE CORE and BRAGGADOCIO WRAP lighten up the vibe, and display the diversity in BOFAAT’s production style, as STREET THE VILLAIN and the combo of HUS KINGPIN, EDDIE KAINE and DJ EREX make certain that these laid back vibe tracks are some of the best on the album.
