By shelz.
Rap started with beats. The DJ was king and the emcee was just there to make sure you were paying attention. The evolution kicked in immediately, shifting the attention from the guy handling the turntables to the guy holding the mic. From there the rap world has turned at a phenomenal rate and pushing the envelope has become mandatory.
Many new ideas crashed and burned after being introduced to fickle fan base, but Hip-Hop fusion has always been accepted. Rap has mingled with every other genre available with differing levels of success, but some fusion projects have been so forward thinking they demanded attention and debate. Two classic projects that managed to retain a rap spirit while incorporating a myriad of other sounds were Deltron 3030’s Deltron 3030 and Gorillaz’ Gorillaz.
Deltron 3030 was 1/3 Del tha Funkee Homosapien, 1/3 Dan the Automater, 1/3 Kid Koala and wholly fantastic in its stylistic breadth and it’s over the top concept. Del had been floating the genre for years, misunderstood and unable to label. It was a predicament that found him so far out of the realm of normalcy Hip-Hop scoffed primarily due to confusion. The words were too big, the structure was too bizarre and even his attire had gone from jersey and ball cap to pirate weirdo. However, his hook up with Dan the Automater on this project turned his lemons to lemonade.
Every part of Del that branded him outcast felt right at home over Daniel “Dan The Automater” Nakamura’s dark, verdant production. This wasn’t just beats and rhymes. Deltron 3030 was a Hip-Hopera that incorporated classical, opera, pop, jazz and any other elements that Nakamura could dig up. Then there was the theme of a space dystopia that engendered corporate and political malfeasance while dictating a Big Brother style of Hip-Hop that Del and crew just couldn’t follow. The narrative was screwy. Del went all in with his radical nerd chic, evoking visions of emcees that could control weapons with their rhymes while fighting the scourge of evil robot wielding dictators and lames at intergalactic rap battles. It was as awesome as it was wild and it was hella wild.
The squad of eclectic features that added texture and depth both to the sonic qualities of the album and to the narrative included Blur’s Damon Albarn and his work with Del and Dan set the stage for his own wacky virtual group, Gorillaz.
The group was immediately lauded for its virtual concept and plethora of styles. Hip-Hop met rock met jazz met reggae in an electronic wasteland that they provided the soundtrack for. The music was jovial and upbeat but did present some thoughtful themes in reference to being watched by big brother and the digital paper trail that keeps the government down with what you are doing and up on skating over your civil rights. There are hints of the stellar environmental diatribe Plastic Beach on “A1 M1” and drugs are considered on “Punk.” However, even the most typical lyrical concepts are enveloped by a cloud of futuristic electronics that is reminiscent of dub infused punk-pop from the 23rd century.
Albarn laid the alt-pop foundation that a truck load of musicians heaped their personal slice of music on top of including Miho Hatori from Cibo Matto, Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads and Mick Jones from The Clash. Dan the Automater returned to add depth and gravity with his off the wall brand of production and Del hopped on to add the Hip-Hop yin to Albarns pop yang. It was a huge chunk if aural gumbo that was boosted by the comic book characters crafted by Jamie Hewlit to put a face on the project. The far flung, all inclusive aesthetic is still marveled at 12 years later.
I’m sure no one attending those Brooklyn block parties back in the early 80’s would have ever guessed Hip-Hop would have taken the twists and turns that it has; moving from a rough regional collection of beats and rhymes to something that defies labels and sometimes, explanation. It has though, and two of the most genre bending, forward thinking albums to come out of the love of fusion were Deltron 3030 and Gorillaz, but one has to be better. Speak on it.
Deltron 3030- “Virus”
Deltron 3030 – “Time Keeps On Slipping”
Gorillaz – “Clint Eastwood”
Gorillaz – “New Genius”
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