Editor note: While I usually mostly cover music I like, it’s good to give some constructive criticism now and then. This one is courtesy of our new wave-house-hip hop-asian-cyberfunk expert, Tomiiko.
Typically I would never harsh a young MC getting mad pub and garnering accolades, not to mentions scooping the Mercury…but after listening to Dizzee Rascal more times than my threshold allows I was left with two questions: “What purpose does garage serve?” and “What’s up with those tight jumpsuits?” While it’s true that I’m prejudiced by my more American sensibilities when it comes to rap, I am not certain what direction Boy in Da Corner was taking.
Da beats: Apparently Garage is supposed to be an amalgam of drum ‘n’ bass, hip hop and house. Well, Dizzee comes by his name honestly as there is a dizzying array of convoluted beats throughout. The best adjective I can offer is ‘playful’ like the wild rodeo style sounds that riddle the second track “stop dat.” Where are the deep disemboweling reverberations of Drum-n-Bass? Where’s the sumptuous snips and samples found in hip hop? Where’s the bouncy hammering that makes house partiers sweat? Mostly the background is a stark and rather boring UK club formula that demands a head nod instead of induces one. This is not to say that cacophonous and abrasive sounds don’t have their place in hip hop. Terminator X was masterful at using Sirens and other alarming pneumonic noises to signify a wake-up call. We can’t give Boy in Da Corner that kind of credit; the unsettling sounds aren’t nearly as smart.
Da lyrics: The hubbub surrounding Dizzee’s celebrity has some root in the idea that he has portrayed the crime ridden London in a fresh manner that is as powerful as what we might get from harder rap groups stateside. While he may be depicting a London that needs exposure, he has not managed to use masterful rhyming or display any real talent with word-smithing. The preamble of the fourth track “Brand New Day” gives false hope that leads to overly simplistic Dr. Suess rapping “Useless Mans wif no plans… pay money pay respect don’t insult my intellect.” The cadence is basic and too unsophisticated for this day and age. He doesn’t bend phonemes or punctuate anywhere besides the downbeat. In fact, many of the critics touting the virtues of this album are simply thankful that they could actually understand the lyrics without having to give a hard listen as the argot is plain and the turns of phrase overused.
While there were risks taken and bold attempts at creating a new sound, this fact alone didn’t make the experience less painful or annoying. As the U.K. struggles to find a voice in rap, their hopes should not be placed in this effort nor should Dizzee be crowned the future of British hip hop. This album is not hip hop. It’s garage plain and simple. To quote my neighbor, a 17 year old Chicago west side native” If this shit was on the radio I’d a been turned the station.”
