Still Slappin' Suckas Silly

Busted Loop - YaggFu Front
Slappin Suckas Silly - YaggFu Front
Hold ‘Em Back - YaggFu Front

Tuesdays are normally pretty slow here at The Funk, what with the watching of 24 and finishing up of the International Economics homework that yours truly did last night. Thus, I don't like to exercise my brain too much on Tuesdays; might overload that mamma jamma. But being that today is a slow day, I figured that I'd change up the program and get this office "hype-ta-field" (new slang alert!) and bring back some classic 1990's hip hop at the same time.

So today, we bring you some choice selections from that sort of lost in the shuffle group out of NC, YaggFu Front. Here is a brief bio on the crew from Muze UK:

"Despite the unfriendly acronym (Y'All Gonna Get Fucked Up [if you] Front), and their grisly personal tags: D'Ranged & Damaged, Jingle Bel and Spin 4th, this Norfolk, Virginia trio offered an interesting take on hip-hop. They came together at university, with an educative platform that provided them with more effective ammunition than gun-toting gangsta rappers. There they worked as DJs on North Carolina college radio before uniting as a trio. Using live instruments, including horns and piano, they perfected a stimulating blend of sharply observed lyrics and clever samples. Their first release was the excellent "Looking For A Contract", which detailed the lives of starving rap aspirants. Comparisons to A Tribe Called Quest notwithstanding, their debut album was also an excellent, intelligent affair. There were comedic moments too, not least "My Dick Is So Large", a thinly veiled parody of egotistical rappers. Nevertheless, their style was generally expressive."

I remember first hearing The Brothers Yagg during my stint at the all boys boarding school called Woodberry Forest in Orange, VA. Short story version: 8th grade, boosting auto radios, partner got hemmed up and sent to juvee, I told my pops about it, was sent to Belarus on a mission to help Chernobyl cancer survivors, came back and for the summer was at Woodberry until freshmen football started. Needless to say, I kept my self out of trouble ever since. But while at Woodberry, I met this cat Tony from Orange who had a few tapes that we'd listen to while we were supposed to be studying. YaggFu was one of them.

When you listen to Yagg, you can tell almost instantaneously that they were kicking live int he early 1990's. The horns, the drums, the rhymes...all scream cross colours, starter coats, and high top fades/half locks. There debut album is pretty good for the time period, but it's nothing groundbreaking. But I like it mainly because it takes me back to a place in space where rap music was still "commercial free" for the most part. Artists, although sounding similar at times, still had creative control on most of their work submitted to major label executives. But I also like the LP because of the jazzy funk sound that it encompasses. If you remember these cats/have their album, you've prolly heard the choice cuts that we picked out. If not, take a listen and let me know what you think. As far as VH1's "Where Are They Now?", Spin 4th kept doing his thing after the Fu disbanded. Check it out here.

Side Note of medical proportions: I think I'm coming down with whatever has been inflicting my parents and co-workers for the past 3 weeks, so if the posts get a little thin this week, yawl will know why.

Side Note of medical proportions 2: Mentos was discussing earlier about how he could remember stuff from old school music videos but had trouble remembering crap in school and that if there was a PHD in Hip Hop, he'd be Dr. Mentos. Well I looked around the net and couldn't find a particular PHD in Hip Hop Science but did find a few classes that are taught at various universities. One for example is this one, at George Mason University about 30 minutes from my house. Does anyone else think that a PHD in Hip Hop would be a good thing? A viable thing?

Anyhow, I'll do my utmost best to post some new stuff this week, but if I end up like my mom, I'm down for the count for about a week. Hopefully Keith Boogs aka TiVo will be able to contribute this week. If not, check out some of our regulars for the latest on good funky type music and ramblings.

Straight Bangin'
Raissa's Head
Low End Theory
Xanax Taxi
Entobofin

For Funks Sake!
Brother B.