I’ve discovered this awesome Australian hip hop artist Citizen Kay and listening to his music has made me immensely happy over the last few weeks. Life Gives You Lemons is from his debut album With The People which dropped in October.
This energetic jam has everything you want in a rap song. It reminds me a bit of Jurassic 5 and Arrested Development – it’s upbeat and catchy as hell.
For a start, the saxophone hook that plays throughout it one of the funkiest sounds I’ve heard as of late. Immediately the song is off on a bouncy and energetic track, add into that the fast-moving smart wordplay of Citizen Kay and it immediately makes you want to groove and singalong.
The Ghana-born and Canberra based MC has a good ear, Life Gives You Lemons is cleverly layered with an array of beats and various instrument melodies. I read that it’s about “being a minority but still growing up with the Aussie culture of seemingly never being phased about anything.” I like that philosophy.
I watched Jurassic 5 transform a laid back, mixed-bunch of a crowd into a mass of sweat-dripping, arm-shaking, fast-talking, crazy dancers – infected with happiness.
J5 were well and truly in the house last night. These guys are the gods of rap music and their gig at Shed 6 in Wellington made that clear as day.
The crew got straight into the swing of things with much-loved tracks I Am Somebody and Jayou. The crowd was bouncing along in no time and you could see the group were rather impressed with the response. In what was probably a strategic comment, Chali 2na told us we were a far better audience than the ones they’ve had in their recent tour of Australia, obviously this went down well with fans and the energy in the crowd went up even further.
The American alternative rap group who hit the big time in the 90s, reunited in 2013 and have been wowing fans around the world ever since. Even though their beards are now a bit grey and they may have a few rounder tummies, the J5 guys have certainly still got it. MC’s Chali 2na, Akil, Soup and Marc 7 are as quick as ever with lyrics tumbling out of their mouths in an awe-inspiring speed and in perfect unison. DJ legends Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark do a stellar job producing those bouncy backing tracks we all love so much while mixing it up from time to time in show-stealing solo stints. Near the start of the set they came out from behind their turn-tables in true fashion. They leapt around the stage mixing up a track in a ridiculous manner by spinning the giant record prop in the middle of the stage and playing portable mixers. At more than one stage during the gig DJ Nu-Mark played percussion on a set of old LPs he hung from around his neck. It was quite a display.
From here we were lead back down memory lane through their oldest and most famous hits. Chali 2na, the unofficial lead of the group, told us “this is the part of the show when we take you back to where it all began” and that’s exactly what they did, in fantastic style. An energetic performance of Quality Control was a clear show highlight for many in the crowd while I particularly enjoyed hearing Gotta Understand, Thin Line and Freedom brought to life. Hey was dedicated to all the ladies in the house, with the men told to go and have a smoke or something. The MCs antics on stage during this slower track were hilarious and it was a fun singalong.
Each crew member in Jurassic 5 stands out in different phases throughout the gig, they could each hold their own on stage solo, but the magic of Jurassic 5 is the way they rap together. The songs sound quite remarkable with the strength of four strong male voices layered upon one-another working at a fast pace. Each song chorus showcases this superbly while the verses give the opportunity for the rappers to show off their own style – something the audience loves as they cheer on their favourite MC.
Of course, their biggest song Concrete Schoolyard was a highpoint. You could tell the J5 crew love the response they get to this and the crowd wasn’t holding back. Everyone sang every word whether instructed to or not, and cheered rapturously in the perfect moments like for Chali 2na’s spookily quick solo in the third verse. This was closely followed by a brilliant performance of In The House which brought the first set to a close. In this all six formed a line on stage and performed a hilarious dance routine I didn’t want to end. It was comedic gold and of course that was only one example of their humour, throughout the gig they had us acting out jumping on a motorcycle, fist-pumping, closing and opening our fingers in time with the beat and much more.
The boys came back on stage for the best kind of encore. They asked people in the front row to think of a more obscure song of theirs they’d like to hear then proceeded to take requests and perform a snippet of some of the lesser-known songs that we might not otherwise have heard. It was entertaining seeing what people came up with and even more interesting watching the crew try to remember how some of the raps started. Of course they always figured it out and performed them as if they played these tracks every show.
After this they performed their latest release The Way We Do It, which showed the group has still got it in every way. This song stands out for me in the set, it is just as good as their golden oldies and I loved watching the pride on their faces as they busted it out. From here they finished the concert off in a magnificent manner with a run of hits, Jurass Finish First, Verbal Gunfight and What’s Golden. What a note to end on.
Half the magic of Jurassic 5 is their PC approach to hip hop. Their songs aren’t interspersed with constant swearwords or controversial lyrics, they’re just about having fun and that’s certainly what they do on stage. All six group members are fantastic to watch, they are charismatic in every way and the fun they’re having on stage is contagious, it would be impossible not to grin your way through a gig by these guys. The other refreshing factor is that each of them seemed genuinely humbled by the response they were getting from their Wellington fans. At the end of the show the audience was so enthralled that they essentially refused to leave and kept clapping the crew well after they’d left the stage. In brilliant style, out came the MCs to shake hands and take photos with their fans.
J5 truly are a class above today’s rappers and last night’s concert is proof. If you’re in Auckland, find a way to get along to one of their gigs tonight or tomorrow. This is an experience too good to miss out on.
The Jurassic 5 boys know how to take a tune and mix it with some brilliant bouncy rap better than anyone and they’ve done it again with new track The Way We Do It.
The hip hop collective, big in the 90s, reunited last year to the pleasure of many. They reclaimed their former glory on the stage at Coachella and are set to conquer the UK this year at Glastonbury.
I didn’t think it’d get much better than that. But then today, out came a new track from the group. I clicked play on the song with some hesitation – terrified this wasn’t going to be anywhere near as good as their old stuff. But I was one very happy gal. What a tune! Now I feel comfortable their Glastonbury set won’t be an awkward run of new songs nobody knows and doesn’t really enjoy, even if they play all new tunes – if they’re anything like The Way We Do It – that’ll be one happy audience.
The song, their first in eight years, has The White Stripes song My Doorbell as the underlying track. What a choice! The 2005 rock hit was a personal favourite of mine. It has a classic solid beat and Jack White’s unique quirky voice. When mixed up by producer Heavy D in this new J5 track the tempo is sped up, helping the drum beat to create that classic upbeat rhythm the groups rap tracks are recognised for. Add in a steady piano melody, the wondrous mixture of sounds portrayed by Jurassic 5’s MCs and a repetitive Jack White vocal sample and this song is evidence the ‘way they do it’ is a winning formula each and every time.
The J5 boys, Chali 2na, Akil, Zaakir, Mark 7even, DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist, are right at the top of my list of acts I can’t wait to see at Glastonbury 2014 and this song just pushed them up even further. I can’t wait for the next installment.
Anyone else predicting a Jack White cameo during the Glastonbury set? Fingers crossed!
In recognition of how ecstatic I am that Jurassic 5 will be playing at Glastonbury I figured this weeks Song of the Week simply had to be one of their tunes and there’s no real competition for me when it comes to my favourite song of theirs. Concrete Schoolyard is a timeless song. I can’t remember the last time I made a music playlist that didn’t feature this song on it. It’s just bloody fantastic. Released on the hip-hop groups first album in 1998 this tune was one to catch the attention of global record companies and sparked the beginning of what is one of the best musical groups we’ve ever seen.
These boys know how to rap without hate and that’s what I love most about this song, it is such a fun song to listen to, it always gets people out of their chairs to dance and rap along and it makes people happy (unlike a lot of rap music which is majorly depressing).
“I’m not trying to say my style is better than yours
I’m just on some other shit
I’m all about the beats and the lyrics
So when you hear it you can feel it
The vibe is energized by the presence of my spirit”
I don’t think this song needs much explaining, it just needs listening. So click on the link below and enjoy this awesome song if you don’t already know it, and if you do – crank it up like you used to, and remember how brilliant these boys can be.
Yesterday the line up for Glastonbury 2014 was released. I’ve been waiting for this day for months. When we some how managed to get tickets in October it seemed to good to be true. We were excited enough about just going to England and going to the festival but we knew the day the line up was released our elation would reach new heights – and sure enough, it did just that.
Of course there are so many good acts named it’s hard to know where to start but there are three clear favourites for me on the bill that I can’t wait to see.
Here’s who and why:
1. Jurassic 5
I have been waiting to see these guys live for as long as I can remember. They are the epitome of what hip-hop music should be in my eyes. Not your average rappers, these guys don’t feel the need to swear through every song, rap about shooting people or rap about race. Their songs are about life, and life as a catchy tune. Each and every album they’ve released is jam packed with melodic hip-hop beats which I never tire of listening to. Their rhymes are unique and fun-loving and I hear their stage show is much the same. This is one act at Glastonbury I will not miss a second of, my joy that I’m finally going to get to see them play is unreal.
Songs I’ll be hanging out for: Concrete Schoolyard, What’s Golden
2. Arcade Fire
I’ve already seen these guys play twice and both times they have well and truly lived up to their reputation as a top live act. Their energy is like no other, their voices are perfect, their music is like no other and has an unreal effect on one when heard live. It’s obvious to me why these guys are the main Glastonbury act – in 2014 no other band really compares.
Seeing this video from Lollapalooza, in which Julian Casablancas gate crashes their set, has certainly helped to grow my eagerness to see this rockin’ band once again. They just know how to put on a fantastic show and I feel confident no two sets will ever be the same. God I can’t wait to see things like this happen at Glasto.
Songs I’ll be hanging out for: No Cars Go, Porno, Rebellion
3. James Blake
This man is the genius of electronica music. His songs are spine-tingling. Each track from his album Overgrown is a favourite on my iPod. I can’t wait to see these hauntingly beautiful songs brought to life on stage. I know it’ll be the kind of set which has a base line which you can feel thumping through your chest, the songs will build up to glorious heights and the vocals will be mind-blowing. This is one act everybody will be lining up for and I’ll be front of the queue.
Songs I’ll be hanging out for: Retrograde, Limit to your Love
Other acts I’ve never seen live before that aren’t far behind on the list are Jack White, Ed Sheeran, Robert Plant, Jake Bugg, Massive Attack, Jamie XX, Foster the People, Blondie and Lana Del Rey.
Other acts I’ve seen and can’t wait to see again include the Black Keys, Kasabian, Lily Allen, the 1975 and Chromeo.
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