Biscuit wrote:
I'n not even really a big DJ Shadow fan, but I recognise an ignorant post when I see one. I've been a huge fan of hip hop since I was 11, taping Westwood shows, saving pocket money for cds and vinyl, and someone coming along and trying to poo poo what all but the most hardcore of rap fans would say was a classic really touched a nerve.He jumped all over the hifi choice article just to masage his ego that he knows more 'hip hop' than the jounalist
I think it only fair that I answer some of the points that have been made here, in my absence. Firstly I think it would be fair to say that the original post did not offer a critique of DJ Shadow's work, rather the fact that the journalist had written a piece which clearly attributed to that album an importance which, quite frankly, is laughable, and indicates that he probably doesn't listen toHip Hop/Rap/Electro-Funk etc.
Acynic might think that the inclusion of the album, in a forum which (as Biscuit rightly pointed out) does not often include or support Hip Hop - I would say (possibly more contentiously - this could be widened to include a great deal of soul/funk/jazz/reggae etc) -is possibly related to the recent release of a 'Special Edition' of the album with out takes and extra tracks?
It's an interesting album, but the point was does it represent a "musical milestone"? If it does, in what genre? It was for this reason that I mentioned Double Dee and Steinski, who were, of course responsible for the original 'Lessons 1,2 and 3', and Steinski who went on to make 'The Motorcade Sped On'. As Biscuit acknowledges, the 'Lessons' are even more remarkable when you consider that they were put together without the help of modern computer technology - yet they still stand as timeless examples of 'cut and paste'. It is also worth recognising the fact that Shadow has been involved in attempting to recreate 'live' some of the 'Lessons', so he clearly recognises that he is part of a tradition that stretches back. It might also be worth mentioning the work of the legendary Latin Rascals and even Ben Liebrand's 'Mastermixes'as otherprecursors to Shadow's work. Set against this context, the claim made that his album represented a "musical milestone" just doesn't hold up.
I think the fact that the writer of the piece makes no attempt to place the record within a wider context, either 'specifically Hip Hop' or otherwise indicates that the journalist knows little about Hip Hop, most of the comments in the articleappear to be derived from the notes of the Deluxe album.Therefore I still regard my criticism as valid.
Now, regarding your love of Hip Hop. I share that. I have done since I was about 10 -and I'm in my early thirties now. I listened to Westwood, and Mike 'The Boss' Allen in London on Capital Radio during the early to mid 1980's. I still have the tapes of the shows, and can still remember hearing DJ Cheese and Word Of Mouth doing their live set. I am still buying records, hunting down the ones that as a youing kid I just didn't have the money to buy (this morning I finally received my copies of 'Techno City', Cybotron and 'Kights Of The Turntables', The Dynamic Duo Featuring ShaQuan and finally, 'Itchiban Scratch' Chris 'The Glove' Taylor.
So it is quite likely Biscuit that we have a great deal in common, except our method and tone of criticism.
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