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2021-12-16 Mixmeister82 By Paul van Delft Paul van Delft
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Summer session podcast Robot Heart
Brit Hop by Grandmaster O, Disco Dance1 1987
BRIT HOP
Generally, America is considered the paradise of Hip Hop. However, nowadays it seems that our neighbors on the other side of the North Sea also have a thriving rap scene. People like Faze One, DJ Chad Jackson, Hardrock Soul Movement, Marley Marl, and The Three Wize Men are at the forefront of the Brit Hop wave with their recently released records.
By Grandmaster O
At first listen, there seems to be little difference between American and English Hip Hop. The duo Hardrock Soul Movement even brought in Afrika Bambaataa to give their second 12-inch, “Funky Groove,” a more American Funk character. On “Stronger than Strong” (found on the free single with Electro 15 or on the B-side of their debut “Layin’ Down a Beat”), they work a lot with heavy guitar loops, and the mixed-in ‘complaint’ voice is the only typically British element. It’s notable that the English are fond of scratching.
Three Wize Men
The debut of The Three Wize Men, ‘Urban Hell,’ stands somewhat apart. In contrast to the music of the aforementioned hip-hoppers, the song has a message: “Burn it down, burn it down. Burn the fucker to the ground.” The ‘fucker’ is a block of houses somewhere in South London that is in such poor condition that living there is a true hell. The group strives for the use of the English language in their raps, with or without a Cockney accent. They try to develop their own style and not look too much to America. Therefore, they are not very pleased with the Streetsounds label, which does too little for British Hip Hop (except for the less successful LP UK Electro). Even at their Fresh 86 festival, hardly any English rappers were invited. The 3WM already opened for Big Audio Dynamite in England, and last November, they toured our country. Originally with Schoolly D, but he dropped out in England prematurely due to homesickness and financial reasons.
Reggae and GoGo Influences
On stage, the group was less hardcore than their single suggests; there were even clear reggae and GoGo influences, which greatly enhanced the danceability of their raps. Their set was varied and well-constructed. The Three Wise Men could become the flagship of the English rap scene. Their mini LP, coming out in early 1987, will have to prove that. Their DJ, Cybertron, was formerly in Funkopolitan, one of the main groups in the so-called Britfunk movement. This movement, which had little impact outside England, quietly died at the beginning of the 1980s, having experienced few highlights. Let’s hope that Brit Hop has a longer life and that its representatives receive recognition beyond the borders of the United Kingdom!
Disco Dance1 1987
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