Before Brooklyn became overrun with affluent ex-pats from Manhattan and before the heart of the indie rock scene was firmly located here, Brooklyn was a place that conjured up an image of a rough-and-tumble landscape that was only for the hardest of the hardcore. The toughness of everyday life simultaneously served as a reminder of a shared struggle and a source of local pride for those who could survive the mean streets. To be sure, Brooklyn certainly still has it hardscrabble neighborhoods that are often overlooked and frequently avoided. However, in many people’s minds the most daunting thing associated with Brooklyn today is how “long” it takes to get there from Manhattan.
I put together a short playlist of some obscure (lesser-known) hip hop tracks that illustrates how Brooklyn retains a certain mystique and street credibility that musicians are not soon to relinquish. Whether it’s simply representing where you are from or using the idea of Brooklyn to invoke a certain vibe (i.e. The Black Keys’ Brooklyn Bound), Brooklyn will be a sort of cultural touchstone for musicians for some time to come.
I’m proud to call it home.
Give it a listen and I hope you enjoy.
Track listing:
1) Brooklyn (5:10) – Mos Def
2) That Brooklyn Shit (3:35) – Danger Mouse & Jemini
3) Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers (5:03) – Crooklyn Dodgers
4) Brooklyn Zoo (3:38) – Ol’ Dirty Bastard
5) Brooklyn Bound (3:11) – The Black Keys
6) Brooklyn-Queens (3:39) – 3rd Bass
7) Super Brooklyn (3:38) – Cocoa Brovaz
8) Brooklyn Took It (3:23) – Jeru Da Damaja
9) Brooklyn’s Finest (4:37) – Jay-Z feat Notorious B.I.G.
10) No Sleep Till Brooklyn (4:07) – Beastie Boys
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4 hours ago
Obscure hip hop tracks you say? Cmon duke. You're better than that. Not obscure at all (and won't even broach the Black Keys joint you have on there - misplaced - or that 3rd Bass track - cool back in the day, but unlistenable now, let alone the Danger Mouse joint - which is aight, but cmon; doesn't deserve to be in the same class, let alone leading into "Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers"). You went for tracks that have BK in the title, but neglected other BK hip-hop anthems (see gangstar's "the place where we dwell" or "the planet", or M.O.P's "Downtown Swinga" or "New Jack City" to name just 2 groups w/ multiple BK bangers) just to fit your BK theme. If you're going to rep it, rep it right...
ReplyDeletevalid points. better said perhaps is lesser-known tracks. It all depends on your musical upbringing and perspective...
ReplyDeleteAnd the 3rd Bass song, I, for one, still love that one. The Black Keys track was chosen to illustrate that Brooklyn is a not a finite concept - Brooklyn Bound is a song with no lyrics yet still seeks to invoke a Brooklyn "feel," whatever that may be.
But again, thanks for the feedback. At least people are listening and thinking about music - which is what this site is all about.
You have to hit up the originators from the bk....Need some Masta Ace, Big Daddy Kane, Black Star....etc...
ReplyDelete