Gold

Gangstarr got me into Hip Hop. It’s rare that you can trace back the exact cd that got you listening to a musical genre but Gangstarr’s Full Cip, their greatest hits cd, was the one that opened my ears to hip hop. The year was 2001, I had heard hip hop before but apart from Wu Tang’s Gravel Pit and Beatnuts No Escapin This, fans of both groups would say that was their most commercial work, I hadn’t still immersed myself in good hip hop.

Full Clip changed that, between Guru’s monotone flow and Dj Premier’s beats and cut up choruses I couldn’t get enough. I even learnt the words to Ex to the Next Girl to impress a girl I was crushing on. My first few months in California where not punctuated by G Funk but by the street tales of Guru. You Know My Steez, The ? Remains, The Miltia, B.Y.S and so on and so forth. Gangstarr was my gateway drug into 90s East coast Hip Hop.

I never thought I could see them perform, the group split up acrimoniously earlier this decade. Guru was focused on his horrible Jazzmatazz series, a series that went stale back in the 90s. DJ Premier was busy producing hits for Christina Aguilera. In terms of a split we definitely knew who was doing better than the other. However, when I got the opportunity to see Guru perform at the Carhartt store, I was over the moon. I downloaded a bunch of acapellas of Gangstarr to try and determine which factor was better. The rhymes or the beats? I couldn’t decide, either way in doing so I began to appreciate his skills as a rapper. He may not have been diverse with his flow but his diction was clear, his wordplay was nice and his storytelling was second to none. I set myself up for an almighty fall.

The Specials are one of my favourite bands. I love their work; I respect them even more because they delayed their reunion tour due to fears of not being able to produce a good show. As Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Fleetwood Mac prepare for their upcoming gigs I warn you lower your expectations. They can not recreate the magic. In our heads they have been canonised. You remember them as a snapshot from a music video, a tour or even live on television. You can’t help it.

The least you can hope for is that they care. Guru hopped on stage performed one full track, two verses from his new crap cd (including one where he sampled Cerrone’s Supernature) and a freestyle. All of the above was performed by a man that began to look his age. He was on stage, like a punch drunk fighter, a journeyman who had no more heart. It was embarrassing, not only for the crowd but also the host. How one can seem lazy whilst rapping, especially such a short set is incredible. A feat on its own. I just hope that you learn to tone down your expectations a bit as the festival season approaches.

[Pics from Hugo]