Hip hot: There's more than Puff to the hip-hop scene
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Guess who's coming to town? (Hint: It's not Santa, but he does say "ho" a lot.)
The artist formerly known as Puff Daddy makes an appearance at the Showbox tonight. Since Puffy is practically the poster boy for mainstream, bling-bling hip-hop, we thought a counterattack was in order.
So if you think hip-hop is "all about the Benjamins" — as the old Puff Daddy (a k a P. Diddy) song goes — please, turn off your MTV and listen up.
First, the disclaimer: This is not a "Best of ... " list. It's just five quick hits — artist, DJ, producer, label and club night — of what we think is hot in Seattle-area hip-hop.
Use it as a jumping-off point and then dive in and discover your own personal favorites, or if you're not into the scene yourself, use it as a conversation-starter with your hip-hop-head teenager. (Tip: Check out www.seaspot.com, the brainchild of Seattle DJ Kun Luv, for upcoming events in hip-hop and R&B in the Seattle area.)
That said: Allow us to introduce our hip and hoppin' Hot List. We've highlighted local scenesters, plus mentioned a few other noteworthy picks in each category.
And Sir Mix-A-Lot, we haven't forgotten you. For your millions sold, for "Baby Got Back," and for putting Seattle on the rap map, you get our honorary Old School Principal Award.
Artist: Source of Labor
Ask just about anyone in Seattle hip-hop to name a hot local artist, and you'll hear this again and again: Source of Labor.
The group first splashed onto the Seattle scene in 1993, playing the Crocodile Cafe. Since then, Source of Labor has appeared all over town, including at Bumbershoot and Experience Music Project. The group has toured nationally, sharing stages with the likes of De La Soul, The Roots, Pharcyde, Goodie Mob, Nas and Ice Cube. Its full-length debut album, "Stolen Lives," was released last year, and a second album is in the works.
Started in 1989 by Seattle native Wordsayer and his brother, Negus I, Source of Labor has expanded to include Darrius Willrich, Kevin Hudson, Allen Matthews and noted Seattle DJ and producer Vitamin D. A constant challenge for the group, Wordsayer says, is maintaining a balance between creating art and selling it without compromising its integrity — a battle some more-visible artists in the hip-hop game are losing.
"There is a definite and distinct difference between hip-hop culture and the rap-music industry," Wordsayer says. "Music can lose its value when it's looked upon as a commodity instead of something that has value socially and culturally."
It's not an us-against-them, David-and-Goliath kind of thing. But the distinction is there.
"The rebirth of hip-hop lies in the independent labels and independent releases where the priority is on the art and the creative side of it," Wordsayer says. "Hip-hop needs to take risks. That's what will keep it vital."
Information: www.jasirimusic.org.
Also noteworthy: Boom Bap Project (www.boombapproject.com), Beyond Reality, Sir Mix-A-Lot protégé and Seattle rapper E-Dawg.
DJ: Kutfather
What makes a good DJ?
"A DJ that people love is a DJ that's not afraid to push the envelope and play new music," says Seattle DJ Kutfather. "Even if it might clear the dance floor, you've gotta give records a chance that people haven't heard before."
That's his style when he's spinning at local clubs such as I-Spy, the Showbox, Catwalk Club and Rock Bottom. Kutfather also gives underground music a boost on the weekly radio show "Street Sounds," which he hosts with DJs B-Mello and Prymetyme Sunday evenings on KEXP-FM.
"A lot of DJs these days, they take the easy road," Kutfather says. "They just play the hits ... what the radio plays."
A good DJ, on the other hand, makes spinning an art form long before he hits the decks, culling a collection from hours and hours of listening, with an ear for putting together songs that you might never have thought would mix.
A native of San Diego, Kutfather was bitten by the DJ bug at age 12, when he would tag along with his oldest brother to shows and wonder what the DJs were doing with four record players. It didn't take him long to realize they were turntables, and soon after he was bugging his brother to let him borrow from his hefty record collection.
His three favorite records of all time: "P.S.K." by Schoolly-D, "Ego Trippin'" by Ultramagnetics MC's, and "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy.
Also noteworthy: DJ Topspin (www.topsyte.com), DJ Kun Luv (www.seaspot.com/kunluv), DJ Supa Sam (www.djsupasam.com).
Producer: Funk Daddy
It's easy to come up with one good beat. Being original enough to repeat that success without being repetitive — or sounding like you're programming a Casio watch for someone to rap over — is what separates the good producers from the wannabes.
Seattle native Funk Daddy, also known to locals as a DJ and a rapper, has produced three albums of his own — the latest, "I Want All That," was released in September — and countless tracks for local and national artists.
His talents have been sought by artists including E-40, N2Deep, B-Legit and Mac Dre. Funk Daddy was an early fan of Sir Mix-A-Lot, for whom he has produced beats, and got his start tinkering with secondhand equipment used by Mix-A-Lot.
"I wanted to see if I could use the equipment the way he did," Funk Daddy says. "That was the challenge."
After 10 years, Funk Daddy has come into his own, keeping an ear tuned to what's playing in the clubs, in music videos and on the radio, and striving to stay fresh.
"I think I'm constantly evolving, but my fans are always saying they can tell my sound," he says.
On the DJ side, fans can hear Funk Daddy spin Saturdays at Club Galaxy in Kent and Sundays at the Catwalk Club in Seattle.
Information: www.funkdaddy.com.
Also noteworthy: Vitamin D, Rocaphella.
Label: Brave New World Records
Late nights. Early mornings. Eighteen-hour days. A handful of people doing the work of two dozen.
Welcome to the world of the independent record label, where money is tight and helping hands are in short supply.
Aaron Byers knows it well. As co-founder of Seattle-based Brave New World Records — a little label with big dreams — he works for a software company by day and for the label with whatever hours he has left.
"Our ultimate vision is to compete with the major urban record labels, like Bad Boy and Roc-A-Fella," says Byers, who started Brave New World two years ago with local rap artist Shyan Selah. "That's the level we'd like to take it to."
To that end, Brave New World has modeled itself after the big labels, producing both artists and movie soundtracks. Its first major project, the hip-hop-laden soundtrack to the urban love story, "All or Nothing," reached No. 2 on the College Media Journal chart of albums picked up by college radio stations and produced a single that landed at No. 35 on the Billboard rap charts. The soundtrack is also in weekend rotation at KUBE (93.3 FM).
This from a staff of just six, including executives Curtis Ellerson and Kevin Turner, who lend experience to the label with their hefty résumés in the music industry. Brave New World also scored a coup with two distribution deals to help manage its sales, something not many small independent labels have achieved.
"The biggest challenge is not getting fatigued and overworked," Byers says, "and just keeping it fun."
Information: www.bnwrecords.com.
Also noteworthy: Jasiri Media Group, Stuck Records.
Club Night: Sundays at Catwalk Club
It doesn't look like much from the outside. But why are all those people standing in line?
For hip-hop heads, the place to be on Sunday nights is the Catwalk Club, an underground basement-like space in Pioneer Square. Doors open at 9 p.m., but most nights, the joint doesn't start hopping till after midnight (no worries, the place usually stays open till 3 a.m.).
The dance floor is spacious and includes a stage for all the exhibitionists in the house. Regulars on the turntables include Funk Daddy, Kutfather and Rocaphella, with occasional appearances by Topspin, Kun Luv and Mr. Supreme.
Some nights include live performances by local hip-hop acts; a recent guest act was R&B quartet 831. Bouncers are burly and do their jobs well, while police officers regularly man the sidewalk and parking lots.
Catwalk Club is located at 172 S. Washington in Seattle. Cover charge is $10, with an enforced dress code. In other words, lose the baseball cap and leave the jeans at home.
Information: www.catwalkclub.net or 206-622-1863.
Noteworthy: Tuesdays at Taps-n-Tabs in Kirkland (425-827-3336); Fridays at the Baltic Room in Seattle (206-625-4444); Saturdays at Rock Bottom in Seattle, (206-623-3070).
Pam Sitt: 206-464-2376 or psitt@seattletimes.com.