Crown
City Rockers bring fresh sound to hip-hop
By
Molly Haupt
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
All of the elements needed to make a promising new-school hip-hop album are
present in the Crown City Rockers (CCR) recent release, “Earthtones.”
The group creates music that is fresh, and innovative, yet classically-relative
to the fundamentals of hip-hop pioneer groups such as Del La Soul and the Roots.
The five piece band, currently residing in Oakland, Cali., includes Max MacVeety
on the drums, Headnodic on bass and production, Kat Ouano on the keys, Woodstock
covering beats and production, and Raashan Ahmad fusing the sound together
with striking lyrical skills.
“
Earthtones” devotes much love to the generation of b-boys and graffiti
with tracks such as “Another Day,” which has a deep-snare beat
and focuses on a day in the life of an emcee. Ahmad captures his essence with
such impressive rhymes that this song is sure to be a favorite among listeners.
He states, “Another day rhythm writing, the pressure is on, I stayed
up all night making hip-hop songs.”
The album also includes a four-minute, lyrically captivating tribute to true
hip-hop beginnings on “B-Boy.” The tune is reminiscent of the hip-hop
heydays with its consistent beat and frequent scratches while Ahmad raps, “It
started in New York with some tables and mics, now every country on the planet
got somebody who writes.”
The second full-length LP, released from the group formally known as Mission,
also includes impressive guest appearances from prominent west-coast emcees
like Scarub from Living Legends, Gift of Gab from Blackalicious and Zion of
Zion I. Scarub kills his first verse on “Balance” with his distinguished
voice and E-40 sounding style and works well with Ahmad’s quick-spitting
lyrics and Ouano’s keyboard skills. Her classic sound and talent really
gain notice in this song.
“
Fortitude,” which contains back-and-forth verses between Gift of Gab
and Ahmad, is recorded over a mighty funky upbeat tune which generates an enormous
amount of energy. On the flipside, “Without Love,” featuring Zion,
shows the CCR’s calmer, more spiritual side, with tranquil production
beats that captivate your ears and close your eyes. The lyrics also reflect
that hip-hop and soulful balance.
While much of the album has a bit of a jazzy sway, the instrumental piece “D-minor
note,” featuring David Boyce on the saxophone, is an excellent homage
to the genre. McVeety and Headnodic continue to excel on their instruments
along with Ouano’s amazing electric piano contribution.
“
Earthtones,” along with its creators, is sure to break grounds, no pun
intended. CCR’s hit a hot spot and produced an album that will surely
take over underground hip-hop.
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