Prepare for trippiness (that is NSFW — that goes for the subsequent videos as well):
After a ten minute session with a hip hop hypnotist, Ratking’s video for “Snow Beach,” a song about rich white kids ruining their New York neighborhood (no politics!). This version gives you a good sense of what you’re going to get with Ratking, who are the talk of the underground since last month’s release of their debut, So It Goes: chaos, irreverence, excellent lyrics, and a sense that something’s just slightly off: vocal tricks, rough lyrics over smooth beds, and whatever they can do to disorient you. It’s pretty damn good.
“Snow Beach”, by the way, is as best I can tell a reference to this. Or no, probably this:
The entire album is about life in New York, and the history of New York hop hop. Here they are taking Complex Magazine on a tour of their neighborhood:
Which reminds me, if you’re into hip hop and not reading Complex, you’re completely out of the loop.
Anyway, some more Ratking:
@chris – I assume you saw this:
http://rappers.mdaniels.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com
GZA does in fact appear to be The Genius. And Kool Keith is no slouch.Report
I had, and since several of my favorite artists (especially basically all of Wu Tang, CunningLinguists, Roots, etc.) are at the high end, I love it.
Also, poor DMX.Report