Low-Life | UK Hip Hop Story | Low Life's Main Courses

Intro

Early Doors:
1979-1985

False Dawn:
1985-1990

Underground Years:
1990-1995

The Renaissance:
1995- 2000

The Future:
2000 & Beyond

Artists &
Discographies

Low Life's Main Courses - Food LP [Low Life Records]

Track Listings
1. You Know Who You Are - Rodney P & Farma G/Mystro/Braintax
2. My Type Of Party - Mystro
3. Showbitchness - Verbal T & Harry Love
4. Adventures In New Bohemia - Jehst
5. Tell Them - Mikey DON & Live 1
6. Mad Runningz - Ricochet
7. Wickerman Theory - Chester P
8. Next Level Response - Iguana Man
9. Run That - Rodney P
10. Between The Lines - Farma G
11. Gulliver - Braintax
12. City Sickness - Jehst & Asaviour & Usman
13. Rockstarz - Task Force & Braintax
14. What Eye See - Yungun

So we are only a month into the New Year and already we are presented with what could be the LP of the year. Brought to you by the consistent Low Life Records, famous for bringing through so many of toady's biggest names in UK Hip Hop, this compilation features tracks from all of the labels current artists and a few lightly sprinkled contributions from some of the remaining names outside of the Low Life stable. Available on 2xLP or CD at 14 tracks deep it is quality throughout and there isn't really a weak contribution on there.

The opening track is a vibrant posse cut which opens the listening nicely. On there you have the biggest hitters Rodney P, Farma G, Mystro and Braintax. Each takes turns to ask if the listener ' Knows Who They Are?'. Second up is a rare solo joint from Mystro, who gives us a taste of what constitutes his kind of party. A bit mellow than the previous track I think his idea of a great party would correspond with most of yours too. Showbitchness with vocals from Verb T and beats from his brother Harry Love was the teaser single. The smooth beat and laid back flow of Verb T have made this a favourite on the radio, and on the dancefloor. The lyrics are interesting too, with Verb T listing many of the shady things that go along with the Music business. The B side to the single was the Chester P solo joint Wiccaman Theory, is included later on the compilation and features a real tangled web of a rap which requires a bit of concentration if you are to get all the messages included in it.

Jehst is only featured on here twice, Adventures in New Bohemia being the first, and immediately it is a classic. Retaining all the elements you love Jehst for, his lyrics, and the well produced crunchy beat. The other track featuring Jehst is City Sickness, a three way spit fest, upon which fellow YNR MCs Asaviour and Usman also get busy. Mikey DON of Krispy and Live 1 move uptempo for their Tell Them track which varies the more usual 90-95 bpm groove that classic Hip Hop delivers and breaks up the LP. Ricochet of Universal Soldiers, (not to be confused with Ricochet Klashnekoff) serves up his Mad Runningz track which describes one hectic evening in the life of a weed supplier. Great story telling and the overall humour could make this a contender for best track, it is just so hard to choose between all of them.

Iguana Man fresh from his collaboration with Task Force on their Fugs R Us 12 drops Next Level Response. This is a tune which should enhance this new MCs profile and help him build the following he deserves. Rodney P, who is collaborating with Low Life on his Riddim Killa label pops up next with Run That. Next up is the one track I have a couple of doubts about although with each new listen it grows on me. Initially I thought that repeated listens to this would simply drive me mad. The beat on first appearances seems to be the sort of thing that a beginner would sequence up with its bar of high hats followed with a bar of snares and then a bar of kicks. Something that one would try out as an experiment, but would ditch and move on. Well Farma endured and finished the track - Between The Lines. It is not half as bad as I probably just made out.

Braintax also has a solo track on there Gulliver, which has all the traits of a Joey Brainzini tune. Meaningful lyrics and a superbly put together backing track. Braintax also features alongside the Brothers McBain on the pen-ultimate track Rockstarz, which is also to be the next single, the Low Life Deserts along with a tremendous remix. Rockstars has as you might expect a rock guitar edge. Too round off a very impressive album Yungun finally gets his own track on Low Life - What Eye See.

Overall, this is a definite purchase which should give you hours of listening pleasure. Interspersed between the tracks are little out takes from live performances and this is a cool twist on the somewhat tired skit formula. Once again Low Life can be trusted to deliver the goods, eliciting top performances from all involved. I'm hard pressed to pick a favourite track, take your pick. The artwork is nice too. Following the same theme as the first single - Low Life Starters, the cover is a mock up of a cookery book. The front features a full platter of food laid out ready for consumption. On the back credits artists contributions are given cooking euphemisms to describe what they did. To top off the design the cover is given an aged feel like it has been left in a kitchen. Low Life Food - Good enough to eat!!

Low Life Discography
Visit Low Life on the web: www.lowliferecords.co.uk :: Email: [email protected]