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NAS Carling Academy. Glasgow, Fri 18 Mar
Although new kids on the hip hop block such as 50 Cent and the Game garner more column inches and album sales, veteran New York rapper Nas still towers above the competition and has remained one of the genre's finest lyricists for well over a decade. His introduction to the world — an appearance on east coast crew Main Source’s 1991 track ‘Live at the Barbeque’ - is still one of rap’s most memorable moments. Declaring himself the ‘street‘s disciple’ who ‘shoots slugs from my brain just like a rifle’, Nas outshone everyone else on the track and had listeners hanging on every word he uttered. His 1994 debut album Illmatic proved it was no fluke. As tense as Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, as high-octane as any Marvel Comics adventure, lllmatic found the 19-year-old rapper pairing his awesome microphone skills with tales of New York's tough Queensbridge housing projects, while the album’s breathtaking sound - a swirling haze of dusty jazz loops and filtered Michael Jackson samples crafted by an A-list cast of New York’s best producers (DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip and Large Professor) — ensured its classic
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Roddly Woomble ruminates on the soundtrack of our lives
Thrs morning so far I have woken up alter a dream where I was being chased down a motorway outside Hull, lell over rn the shower. eaten an apple from reception and spent lrye mrnutes looking at the cranes whrch take up most of the sky outsule thrs hotel. I'm wrrtrng this down. l suppose. to try and remember what I know I'll lorget about tomorrow. I've come to the conclusion that thrs rs why I go and see films so often: they make me remember all the srmilar things that I've done, or forgotten to do (or Will never do).
Slices of Irte. stones about
status. Nas’ arrival, coupled with the ascendancy of the direction, while his use of classic old school People VOU'” “Over the” Wt Wu-Tang Clan and Notorious BIG, consolidated a breakbeats has marked a return to a grittier, more somehow YOU Chh that“? Shh“? resurgence in east coast hip hop following the early stripped-down sound that’s happily at odds with the of your 0W” “t0 thmtlgh them- 905 dominance of Los Angeles. current vogue for pristine, opulent rhythms a la the The tlt'h 30/770r5<'W/t that“? “‘0 As Nas has never truly matched the quality of his Neptunes. What’s more, he is one of an increasingly thlhk atJOUt 3” these thlhtlfi- tt debut, countless cloth-eared critics have frequently rare breed of rappers who spends more time honing his was 30 900“ ' dropped my clamoured to pen his epitaph every time he touches a rhyme skills than he does flogging trendy gym shoes POPCOm- microphone. Accepted, his rhyme ruckus with Jay-Z in and fizzy pop on MTV. 50 t0" We FGSIStOd ta'k'hti 2001 was a disappointment: what was billed as an epic Although Nas is probably soon to be spotted in those “DOUt '(t'eW'td ”‘ “the D'SPHtCh emcee duel between New York’s two finest rappers girly celebrity gossip mags since tying the knot with hUt What With 0”" “CW “3cm” 0‘” proved to be a dreary spectacle, with listeners divided R&B star Kelis, hip hop anoraks like me are more and 3”- It seems "k0 3‘ 900d “the over who really triumphed. Yet to dismiss Nas’ post- excited by rumours that he’s due to record a full-length t0 'hehttOh the {Chet Ethd attXtOUS Illmatic output is to ignore sterling work like the dream-team collaboration with the one and only DJ eXCttC'heht kHOWthQ that Che majestic 1999 DJ Premier-produced ‘Nas Is Like’ and Premier later this year. Should that album materialise, V0?” 0t work ‘3 tlhdlhg 'tS Way the ‘Memento’-inspired backwards rap of ‘Rewind’. His Nasir Jones looks certain to remain atop the hip hop thtO the (333' houses and recent albums have suggested a more political tree for some time yet. (Hugh Leask) headDhOhG‘o‘ 0t POOP“? "Om
Japan to Arbroath. It's a good record for driving actually, not In
FOLK to sperm! 'lttltfl‘ trrru: t'wr: r: ;- a Top Gear compilation krnd of her f:t‘,."."t3'.'.'tt:l£“ ’ 1'19: A' Way. more that 't makes Settse BAND 'ttl(:if>1ll'f;l><?~rl‘ a l. wort tint)". 1‘, )‘I (t0 the attYWayt t'Stettmg t0 't~ The exchange. Edinburgh, Fri 18 Mar; out or‘ a li?‘\.‘."‘1;;ll‘,ri. l'. gamma Ha "'rti‘. Ctthhg- tettthg 't SOttttdttaCk Tolbooth, Stirling, Sat 19 Mar melt: int,- lr‘:;ll vntm: 4, gr}: rnstnurwtar. What's mOng OUtS'dG the arm rut-oble are oettrrtr; tr‘ hea' E "an" WtthW- England play Ireland on a double-headed sends. ln ‘ar‘t. .ve'm rura'vtrrx; tr: Mk": I '/~ t'Ve been “Stehthg to a t0t 0t tour thrs rssue when Irrsh accordion drxa Iretand.’ tltm SOUhdttaCkS tatety- It‘s ath‘OSt Sharon Shannon and her trro are barred Shannr n's hand ‘Ir‘reur, tango”: eehe the way they C8” "take YOU With multr-Mercurt nomrnated singer and srrw" the (:(ktil<2 (Iot‘rhrv;°_x;rt:; 'ru; ea'I w .r‘ tee' “k9 YOU're th 3 SCQhe trOm a lrddler Ell/£1 Carthy and her Rattfatrtliers w the tear, Sharon's; 'r<:.'. .;::t hr," s 5184' tttm- My taVOUhte Ones are the AKA .John Sprers. Jon Boden and Ben Marx. rex Bomb ebees 1‘)" : arag: .r': : SOUhdtraCkS trOm Old SPY thoV'es lutskv Flrxa talked about the Ratcattther's other thugs arid auztarmt .lwr M'i'jh, its, and mm ho”. They C3” "take soon-to-be»released new album, were the sanxt; linear, uxverf that eveh erShth VOW teeth Dart 0t ‘lt's been made by all of us. as a hand. I are one rnore,’ Aw: grit,- doe.“ "he ah UhSO'Ved mYStGW- tanted to work With them. together; not .tarr‘e or; it, as at a jar; He's; ca a“: SO haS'Catty- “77 ahX'OUS ahd me telling them what I want. They hate CHOW“ Janka-s amine this, TW2‘ .tra eXC'ted. tWthg to remember What 5ttt7h 419%” mm“httgeol English ntusrt‘. that's :v‘t- c," The '<;a:v:'ts .‘.€,‘ ’19"? " :n- “(how t.” torget- SDehdthg a tOt More than me. likely John's dad's a mug" r><:-";:..::s :" f":s few ,.~',- 0t ttme 'h Cars- SOUhdtraCked by Morris dancer. He grew up with all of brass. and l “(iii (1". we: 7 .‘.g:"fr:*2‘ the mUStC trOm tehse thht'erS He's not really a tolky More a tradrtoha’ trumpet. L4,: is " TW: sa'W: may: as ’."-’: tththk that abOUt SUmS Up my Singer' *ltltl'z" 7 and '.‘.'e"<: a 91:11; :ar‘v: — s’; m: torthtght- Ironically this album of detranttt English nae-re term ":t ‘t,' < ' >’.' r' g " :; e': a'“: td/eW/Id's new a/bUm mus‘rc was recorded rn the rural he ca'r‘e '»;:-.“: 'r‘rrW/fibeit' The" s'vf: warn/“QS/Prom’ses "3 CUt "OW Eliza Carthy tranqurllrh of Elrxa's home . . . rn the rauans: C" ‘ 1:; ~1- "‘»:; z, :; :,';‘_'_<,'r‘.' 0” Par/Ophone- Scottish borders. Not that sne's getmg Nt‘r'tigi" Cnarr‘e's
' '.‘v:' x THE LIST 71