Author: Tamara Harris
Published: December 31, 1969
Tool: [ email ]
One of the most arresting things about hip-hop is its ability to take its
listeners into the oral and penned words of its authors. While all music
pulls you into the mindset of its' creator, hip-hop 's lyrical intensity
attacks the cortex in a way all its own. 2001 has a new partnership of brain wavers to add to the perpetual headnod of the 21st century's most popular artform; enter two brothers from the Bronx. John Peele and Shawn Watson (Deadah) made the mantra of 730 Michell a pledge to remember all the storms they saw in their native Bronx. "What they saw as teens they would not trivialize as adults. " Peele and Watson are the latest in line to come from the Bronx with their hopes and strength in stanzas sometimes from the streets.
A friendship that goes back to elementary school had them discovering their art first as individuals. Shawn would breakdance in Times Square for money and later pursued djing. He eventually started mcing in local ciphers, drawing a huge influence from his uncle who went under the name of the Iceman. John had always been a solo artist and when the two hooked-up their history seemed to compliment their styles. This was around the late 80's and their work bought them into contact with John Forte and an impending contract with Rawkus Records. The absence of proper management and a legal team made this step towards commercial success impossible at the time. But the impact of the things around them continued to feed their music. In May of last year they took those informed visions to disc with their producer Taj.
Shawn says that they want to take the music back to the essence, that hip-hop
is more of an urban thing. One way to interpret that is the way their sound
has some of the rhyme simplicity of a Kurtis Blow and the use of sampling
unlike a group like The Roots who prefer live instruments. Producer Taj
describes his favor of the old-school approach with the understanding that "
if you sample from vinyl you get a more authentic hip-hop feel." His admission of the artfulness of the sample is "common sense" among hip-hoppers. " You can listen to somebody play a guitar for four minutes on an album and find one little riff, one little string that catches you in a certain way, and you take that and create something out of that one feel that you got off that certain string". But that knowledge does not take away the wonderment and pleasure of hearing those sound collages on new songs. "Sleep No More" makes question marks about how the audio gets created and fits the words perfectly. A single watery keyboard line wanders below seagulls up high. Its' invention endures a place of thought for lyrics that survey dark
truth.
"I don't want to sleep no more, just tour feed the people with the uncut raw
pure product DRUG Em & we the human narcotic rhythm drug blam them with the
poem slugs to they mugs. Let's kill the world in slow motion, then I bring
them back alive with the murder potion red rum the click is toasting. It's on
me I'm buying, can't let my kin the see me crying internal tears," -"Sleep
No More"
City problems are not eclipsed by every rapper's claim to MC stardom. "Bigger Than U" carries the seriousness of this promise with hilarity and determination. The declaration that they are "bigger than Tyra Bank's
forehead" is a funny skull -transcending aspiration. Which means that 730 want to do a lot because Bank's has the forehead of a very successful supermodel. A foundation built of mild beats that shutter and urban gypsy strings supports the narratives first started at the corner of Baychester and Edenwald Avenue. The album really does bring to mind some of the essential sounds of hip-hop. Modest production and earthy stories about sex, drugs, and struggle are propelled by supreme confidence. This is the gist of what 730 Michell have to offer and negotiations are being made to bring their music to a popular audience. MCA, Sony, RCA, RuffNation Records, and BlackMale Records have expressed an interest in them. While the labels bid the fellas are busy doing weekly showcases. They will perform in Miami at the end of May
and then off to the St. Thomas Music Festival in June where they will open
for D'Angelo, Wyclef and others. A song for the upcoming soundtrack to the
video Hip -Hop Uncensored Vol.3 is also on the way. The video is behind the
scenes concert footage for people like Eminem, Eve, Ruff Ryders and Jay-Z.
You will be able to wear 730 Michell too because of their collaboration with
Division 31 on a new clothing line. Thirty minutes past the hour is either
too late for 7 or early for 8 but 730 really is the combined timepiece of
Shawn Watson and John Peele.
