I'm tired of people in the hip hop community writing off DJ Screw and his slowed up style of music. Sure, I'm already a convert - but what don't people get? Hip Hop was was built on a foundation of break manipulation and experimentation. Why is the work of Robert Davis seen as "stupid" and a fad to so many in a community of those who profess to love a music that has been demonized with the same terms constantly.
Case in point:
ESG's 'UFO' is a landmark in the genesis of hip hop. The loose drum and bass styles of the sisters Scroggins is as important as David Axelrod and Bob James when it comes to the sample era of hip hop. When Paul Winley first released it on his series of "Super Disco Brakes" (records that simply bootlegged tracks played by the early Bronx pioneers) he pitched it down (played the 45 on 33 actually.) Bambaataa also slowed down Klaus Dinger's (who died this year, sadly) "Neu Beat," which was also a huge influence on the sound of NY disco that evolved into hip hop. Neu, themselves, uber-screwed their own 'Super" and released it as "Super 16" (rpm.) Hence my next mix title.
Why did they do this? Because it sounded good to them. Same reason Screw decided to go full force and slow down everything he could. It suspends the hi hats in mid air and brings out little dubby nuances that are hidden in the regular speed recordings. I'm not expecting everyone to become a full fledged fanboy like me, but at least respect it.
The two examples:
UFO (Regular and Slowed)
Hallo Gallo (Regular and Slowed)
3 comments:
When people play UFO on 45 I always get a little bit of sick in my mouth. Wrong.
I've put the earlier mixes on my iPod and I'm gonna listen to them there. Digging the track listings for a start.
I think it has to do with HOW you heard it first. Slowed music hardly registers to me... but hearing The Carter 3 bumping out of someone's car lways startles me because I have pretty much only heard it slowed up.
If you first heard "UFO" on "Flavor of the Month" or somewhere... I could see how the original can be equally shocking.
"Flavor of the Month" is obviously the unreleased extended remix of "Flavor of the Week" ;)
I'm freaking tired!
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