Indie rap can be a tough cookie. While not being expected to sell 10 million records, SEEMS like it would free artists to explore diverse topics and styles, it has as of late just made for more of the same. Many in the indie hip-hop world criticize “ice rap” and the “blunts, bitches and 40’s” mentality that dominates BET and your hip-hop radio dial, but in the end they fall victim to the same patterns. While not every other word out of their mouths is necessarily about how hard they are our tales from their nefarious street past, but indie too gets involved in a ‘paint-by-numbers’ style of music making.
Talk about the war. Talk about how much you hate the president. Talk about oppression. Talk about how you despise mainstream sell-out rap. Blah, blah, blah.
That has been unfortunately 90% of indie hip-hop for the last few years. OK, we understand that you don’t like the war. We know you don’t like Bush. I don’t either. Not many honestly do at this point. But c’mon guys…say SOMETHING unique! You know why SNL’s “Lazy Sunday” was such a big deal? One, it was really funny. But the second and more important reason it took off is that it was what indie rap SHOULD me. A couple guys spitting good, entertaining rhymes that take you to a different place. In the old days, Chuck D called rap music the “CNN of the ghetto”. Well, now that we have seen CNN’s Anderson Cooper interviewing Cam’ron on the topic of “snitchin” in the ghetto, I don’t think the mystique is really the same as it once was. Hip hop doesn’t need to be used to inform us of the struggle anymore. We know it’s there. Hip-hop now needs to be used a vehicle for change in a way that doesn’t just lead to anger. With most of today’s indie hip-hop, the end result is making the listener upset at the government with no practical solutions on how to fix it. It is great if you have an opinion, but if you want to make a difference, have a solution too.
That brings me to Bayani. Bayani is the third project released by the Seattle hip-hop duo The Blue Scholars. Formed in 2002 at the University of Washington, the Blue Scholars are comprised of one MC (Geologic aka Prometheus Brown) and one DJ named Sabzi. Geologic is the son of Filipino immigrants and reflects his past in many of his rhymes over the years. Sabzi is an Iranian-American jazz-trained pianist who serves as both DJ and beat-maker for the collective. After finding much local critical acclaim following the release of their 2004 self-titled debut LP, the Blue boys recorded a follow-up EP and released it in the winter of 2006. Now a year and a half later and extensive touring behind them (shared the stage with Kanye West, Slick Rick, Immortal Technique, Mos Def, De La Soul) The Blue Scholars drop Bayani.
The album opens up in a manner that you have almost come to respect from the Scholars, if only because it is in their nature to command respect by use of the different. As the unnamed, (and on the back of the record, unnumbered) opening Baha’I Healing Prayer is chanted, no matter what religious or cultural mindset you came into this listening with, you can feel that something beautiful is happening. Even if you can’t put your finger on what that something is.
Lyrically, Geologic has seemed to bring his game even farther than what many thought possible. After the groups legendary recordings over the last few years, I myself thought that Geo may have build a mountain that not even he could reach of the top of. But he took the challenge and came back with vicious wordplay and a rhyme-style that is leaving past comparisons to revered MC’s Rakim and Nas in the dust. He has stepped into this own on this LP and now is setting himself up to be the backdrop for which other lyricists paint themselves.
On the wheels of steel, Sabzi keeps proving why he is going to be a household name in the production community in a matter of years. With innovative, clever beats that you could find yourself working out to, bumping in your hooptie with the windows rolled down or simply throwing on as you chill out after work, Sabzi’s production transcends the boundaries of what once constituted as hip-hop. With electric piano rhythms, ill-guitar licks and enough trumpets to choke Chicago, the beats turn this record up another notch.
Some of the hottest tracks on this CD are the Seattle anthem “North By Northwest” “Opening Salvo” and the end-of-Iraq pleading “Back Home”. On “North By Northwest”, Geo continues in his proud tradition of doing his native city proud (see “The Ave” and “Southside Revival” off the self-titled LP) with 206-area anthems that do more than just yell out the name of the city and make a few inside references. Geo makes you really feel a deep sense of pride to be located at the top of the west coast and lets those around the country know that we are still here, long after grunge moved out.
One significant track that demands attention is the WTO-protest recalling “50K Deep”. As Geo details his involvement of the Nov. 30th, 1999 anti-trade march/riot through downtown Seattle it reminds me of watching it all unravel here in Seattle and recalls the pain that his and my friends dealt with. And thankfully, Geo DOES make mention of the rich kids who went downtown to get arrested on purpose for the sake of saying they did. Screw them cats.
The rest of the album is filled with more socially conscious records that does more than just anger you; it leaves you with a peace. On the CD’s final track “Joe Metro” Geo explores the city of rain by way of the city’s metropolitan bus line and the interactions that take place in this broad intersection of society. While not everything is the way that it could be, or even right now should be, Geo leaves you realizing that it might not be great, but it’s alright for now. It’s the peace.
As mentioned above, indie rap in this day and age is more than not political in nature. But what makes the Blue Scholars stand out and not fall into the ‘paint by numbers’ hip-hop is how they not only have an opinion, but an agenda on how to change as well.
Bayani is a breath of fresh air in the hip-hop community. Not just for the indies but also for what possibly could be a mainstream breakthrough. Having formed their own record label last year (Massline formed with other dope Seattle MCs RA Scion of Common Market and Gabriel Teodros) and getting distribution from the renown underground rap label Rawkus Records, Bayani could be the record that takes the boys with an “accute two-oh-sickness” nationwide and possibly beyond.
5 out of 5 Worms. An album that has truly been worth waiting for. One of the most significant albums to come out of the Northwest in years.
