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| UK hip hop doesn't get much mainstream press time in its native country, so a compilation like this is a convenient way to get rapidly acquainted. UK hip hop also isn't quite the commercial behemoth the US breed has become. This is fortunate, confusingly, since with its lack of mainstream presence UK hip hop largely avoids the heights of plastic decadence exalted by the likes of P Diddy (or is it just 'Diddy'?), 50 Cent and numerous other gangster-rappers-cum-body-builders or media moguls. |
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Life Before 40 is one of those pesky 'best of' albums, a collection of Lowlife Records' output. It ranges from abstract battle rhyme paintings to the cautionary materialism of 'Money In The Bank'. There are some throwaway trivialities with uninspiring lyrics and/or production (like 'On the Road' and 'Just Me'), but largely this set of tracks stays on course, charting a diverse cross-section through the unfamiliar not-so-bling world of UK hip hop. The second (bonus) CD in this release is a continuous mix of the tracks on the first. It's a nice addition, but in essence a freebie.
The important questions for UK hip hop are whether it has a distinct identity and whether it is weighty or fledgling. I suppose my view is tinted through Roots Manuva-coloured lenses, but the music production here is typically more glitchy than your average US fare. There seems to be a willingness to experiment and flirt with quirkiness (e.g., the blip-hop of 'Tellin' You'). There's also a stronger dub and reggae influence prevalent with contributors like Rodney P and the like. Lyrically the standouts are 'City of Industry' (with Jehst dropping lyrical gems like "I go north ankle-deep in snowfall / leaping over dry stone walls with a holdall") and the dope-dealing narrative of 'Mad Runningz'. Ricochet takes us on a night-in-the-life-of non-stop tour, rapping with a decidedly self-deprecatory and humorous air about the trials and tribulations of the illegal pastime. Disaster strikes, crime doesn't pay: "But outside I see my ride, spot a minor hitch / the wheels are missing and it's sitting on a pile of bricks"
Life Before 40 is a bit of a bumpy collection. When it's good, it's very good, and when it's bad, it's very bad. Fortunately, the good outweighs the bad and I'd recommend checking this out if you care at all about the UK hip hop
scene. |
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| Stuart Reeves - 6/10 |
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