Seattle Hip Hop

Have you ever been there?

It is beautiful-at least that was my experience-during the Memorial Day weekend I spent there in 2007. I fell in love. The view, the vibe, the layout of the city over gentle hills...wow!

At the time, my friend mentioned a show I had just missed for a group called Common Market. The two members of the group are both Baha'is, and my interest was piqued. Some time later I purchased Tobacco Road, and later their Winter's End EP.

Brasso by Common Market


So if you know anything about Northwest rap, you would assume that I naturally connected the dots and checked out Blue Scholars, a hip hop duo that features one-half of Common Market: Sabzi.

But no. I didn't. Ever. In fact, it took my recent resurgent interest in less 'pop'-ular music, along with these next guys to get me around to Blue Scholars. And my brother. He helped too.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis put out an album. Then they re-released it with remixes and some bonus tracks. Free. I stumbled across the remix of Otherside. Listened to it, liked it, and it got forgotten in the influx of new music I was processing. Another day, I stumbled across another mp3, and this time I saw a picture of the guys. Intriguing. And slightly ridiculous. Also, quite hip. Too hip for me. Seriously, I only wish I could pull off a look like that. Okay, blah blah, get to the point... I loved the Vs. EP. It's a free download here...or you can pick up the re-release, The Vs. Redux at iTunes. Redux includes all the originals plus remixes and a bonus track. It's only $6...support these guys!!! $6 for some dope hip hop?!?! Check out Macklemore's blog for videos for their songs submitted by fans; my favorite is Stay at Home Dad. Ryan Lewis has some other projects going on too - his website is here.

Vipassana by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis


Okay, so I was listening to the above song, and then I was like, "WHOA! Did he just say Baha'u'llah?!" Rewind...yes he did. Check it out for yourself.

Below, Life is Cinema continues a trend that I picked up on in Otherside and Irish Celebration-this dude is recovering. Or recovered. But the song below has a line I wish I had come up with...it just is such an accurate description of the insanity...

Selfish, Selfish, Selfish, Yeah, Me, Yeah, Me, Yeah;
Girlfriend, Break up, New one, One-night stand, Cheat, Cheat, Repeat that;
Drug use, Clean up, Drug use, Drug use, Clean up, Drug use, Rehab;
%$@# you I suck dude, Self loathing, Self esteem, Ego than Me again

Life is Cinema by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis


Their group just dropped a new song this week as well, titled Wings. Go check it out as Macklemore paints a correlation between consumerism and...well, you'll see. Also you can support their efforts to make a video through kickstarter.org and the song is available for download off of Macklemore's blog (link up above somewhere).

Since I am just getting to know Blue Scholars, I won't post anything of theirs yet. Although I did just listen to a song with KRS-One, Talib Kweli and Geologic (the other half of the group) titled 'Oh Really'...

I know there is more SEA hip hop out there...the Grynch popped kept poppin' up, but I haven't listened to him yet. Can't hand it all to you...I leave you with the video for Macklemore's track...White Privilege.

Eric & Magill

I have found a plethora of free music on the internet. It started with the free songs Amazon offered me on their site, and I gradually have expanded my searches. Labels put out entire albums of free material-samplers-to give bands exposure. But a lot of the samplers I downloaded were filled with junk. So I began to believe that ALL free albums were junk.

So when I came across 'All That I Know', I was skeptical. An entire album for free? I listened to the title song, and liked it, but still wasn't sure. But I downloaded it anyhow, planning on listening to it a little later. Fast forward a couple weeks, and their songs started popping up in my iPods shuffled songs. I really dig a couple of these songs-when I am in the mood for some laid back music that is. So give 'em a listen.

Grandpa's Pink Wine by Eric & Magill



You can download their entire album here at their bandcamp site. (Ryan...bandcamp is another awesome site you are going to love!)