In what will now become a weekly feature on Bonafide, I will take time out to look back on all things hip-hop in the world of film. From failed rappers-cum-actors, to killer soundtracks and eye opening documentaries, I will also be casting an eye on forgotten classics that have been lost in the bargain buckets of your local petrol station, reconsidering movies that were originally panned on release, and inform you all of recent releases and whether they are worth your time or not.

So here goes. Let’s begin with a classic. As far as ghetto/ hood dramas go, Spike Lee’s 1989 masterpiece Do The Right Thing still represents the high water mark in the genre, as well as a time capsule for African American cultural history as a whole. Such is its enduring importance and lasting influence that it’s been chosen to be preserved in the National Film Registry, but this only partially explains why it is still held in such high regard. For one thing, it included ‘Fight the Power’ as part of its soundtrack; a song that would re-enter the public consciousness a year later as part of Public Enemy’s seminal rap album Fear of a Black Planet. What makes this piece of observational film-making all the more remarkable and astonishing, is that it was made by Lee while still in his salad days as a director. Indeed he also plays one of the central characters to the storyline working as a pizza boy at Sal’s pizza parlour, which only seeks to accentuate his youthful yet already fully-rounded worldview on the racial morals and dynamics between African Americans and Caucasians. Rarely equalled and never bettered, Do The Right Thing is and will remain an important historical and political document for years to come.

Plaid
Mbuki Mvuki
Black Dog Productions, 1991

As far as Mbuki Mvuki by Plaid goes, if there was a record to enter a World Cup of unique and funky as hell electronic records it would win all of the games without conceding a goal and it’s eight tracks crowned players of the tournament. This isn’t such a bold statement when the record’s title in the African language of Bantu means “Dance till your clothes fall off”.

The music on offer is hard to pigeonhole and though the tracks are about 120-125 bpm it is neither a house, ambient or breaks album. Unlike a lot of Plaid’s later releases the music is very accessible and the majority of the tracks are a fascinating brew of deep but playful techno, latin/jazz as well as pitch shifted hip-hop and r&b samples. Needless to say these handcrafted sounds mix together creating colours that you couldn’t imagine seeing with your eyes.

The first track, “Anything”, hints at the sounds on offer with it’s quirky but chilled techno flavour and a raw stop-start rhythm with the music being turned on and off like a DJ hitting the cross fader. “Slice of Cheese” follows with probably the most head spinning collection of sounds on the album. The track gives off a lush smoky flavour with live sounding horns and Rhodes stabs. The lo-fi cut and paste style of “Slice of Cheese”, like the rest of ‘Mbuki Mvuki’ sounds more like some extra terrestrial orchestra getting down than two Londoners making music in their bedroom on an Akai sampler, Yamaha synthesiser and an Atari. It’s a far cry from Plaid’s now all too weird cinematic noodley stuff.

Other examples of mad diversity on ‘Mbuki Mvuki’ include “Summit”, which is a combination of Lounge Jazz slouchiness and crazy organ stylings. “Link” on the other hand is more run of the mill techno if a little off the wall… On the subject of strange rhythms the penultimate track “Yak” starts with a fruity percussive mix of snares and hand clicks before blossoming into something that sounds almost childlike. Concluding the album is the most famous track on ‘Mbuki Mvuki’, “Scoobs in Columbia”. A mixture of bone crushing breaks, Latino chanting and Tango Guitar that sounds brilliant on the stereo but all the more devastating when played in a club.

‘Mbuki Mvuki’ was released in very limited quantites in 1991 by Black Dog which at the time was the Ed Handley and Andy Turner of Plaid’s main project alongside Ken Downey who would later separate from Plaid under much acrimony. Thankfully for the listener the whole of ‘Mbuki Mvuki’ is available on the Plaid compliation ‘Trainer’ released by Warp Records. Other highly recommended releases to check out include ‘Black Dog Production’s Bytes’ also on Warp and the recent Black Dog compilation out on Soma, ‘Book Of Dogma’.

Omar Francis

Pete Rock & CL Smooth
All Souled Out
Elektra | WEA, 1991

There are more than a few significant area’s regarding Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s first record ‘All Souled Out’ released on Elektra in 1991. First of all it introduced the world to Pete Rock’s sophisticated production style taking sampling and digging to a whole new level beyond looping old records. Also on show was CL’s laidback and mature delivery which was unlike anyone else around at the time.

Most of the three records released by the duo represent a calm before the storm period in hip-hop commercialism in the early nineties. Simply put out the grooves. Word of mouth rather than media hype blew these records up.

The early nineties were a time of Native Tongues, Hieroglyphics and DITC who were all taking sampling to a crazy level. It was Pete Rock however that upped the ante with complex harmonisation by grouping a series of sounds at the same time blended so well they sounded like one sample from an individual record. Take the title cut and The Creator. The former see’s CL at his most in your face rapping uptempo over a nice organ sample. The Creator is an instantly recognisable cut, Pete Rock rapping solo at double speed over his soon to be trademark horns and whispers.

CL’s style has been criticised as something of a safer version of Guru. As time went on this could be true (show me some consistent rappers in the last fifteen years huh?) however back in the days he was on point and nice with it. On Good Life he talks about life’s luxuries that are often mentioned on rap tracks. Though like Main Source’s “Watch Roger Do His Thing” he strives for them through honest endeavour. LIkewise on ‘Mecca & The Soul Brother’ he espouses wisdom and having less beef than Saddam Hussein over Pete Rock’s best production.

All Souled Out is an essential record for any self respecting hip-hop fan as well as the following two LPs. Furthermore, it is a phenomenal body of work to present in argument for those that think sampling is merely cutting and pasting old James Brown records. Give it up…

Omar Francis