CITY SOUNDS by Matt Roland

CITY SOUNDS AN EXPLORATION OF AUSTIN AND BEYOND Matt Roland

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR As I discuss in the coming pages, I was born with a passion for music. Thankfully the obsession seems to be hereditary, and I received nothing but encouragement from my family, especially my mother. My passion for music – playing, listening, reading and writing about it – has understandably taken a backseat to my studies these past four years. But now, at the tail end of my undergraduate career, I finally have an excuse to write about music. I would like to thank Professor Beth Eakman for allowing her students to chase the stories that interest them. I would also like to thank Professor Eakman for her guidance and encouragement throughout the process. In the intimidating world of professional writing and publishing, a little experience goes a long way. Beth’s students are all extremely fortunate to have such a wealth of knowledge at their disposal.

Matthew D. Roland

CONTENTS 3

REVIEW: Mac Demarco

PROFILE: Jody Denberg

ESSAY:

The highly anticipated mini-LP, "Another One"

Austin's legendary DJ isn't sweating the city's changes

WHILE WE WAIT

A countdown on the top five most Kanye songs of Kanye's Career STATE OF THE ART

A Houston hip-hop classic turns twenty

PITCH

A query letter to the editor of Free Press Houston FEATURE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CITY SOUNDS

ALBUM REVIEW

MAC DEMARCO ' S ' ANOTHER ONE ' MINI - LP

I wrote this review of Mac Demarco's latest release with the Austin Chronicle in mind.

CITY SOUNDS

MAC DEMARCO

ALBUM REVIEW

ANOTHER ONE " MINI - LP

3 OUT OF 5 STARS Mac Demarco doesn't take himself too seriously and neither should you. The Canadian indie rocker, whose most recent tour featured an October stop at Stubbs, has appropriately branded his follow up to 2014’s excellent “Salad Days” as a “mini-LP,” spanning eight new songs that throb with Demarco’s heartache. “Another One” is a straightforward exhibition of the Pitchfork poster boy’s charming songwriting abilities; virtually every song is a lo-fi earworm that sounds like it came straight out of a 1970’s bin of discount surfer vinyl. That isn’t to say that “Another One” doesn’t forge any uncharted territory for Demarco. The reigning king of slacker rock lives up to the designation with plenty of lazy, meandering guitar riffs throughout, but Demarco incorporates keyboard with some of the guitar work, as in “No Other Heart.”

The result is a fuller sound than his songs usually provide. “Just to Put Me Down” features Demarco testing his vocal cords to their limits — with mixed results. The album does end with an off-kilter instrumental reminiscent of “Jonny’s Odyssey,” the “Salad Days” closer. As the synthy notes fade and the album reaches its final moments, the soothing sound of waves can be heard as Demarco’s friendly voiceover invites fans to seek him out at his rural New York home; he even lists the address. Although “Another One” doesn’t reach the emotionally introspective peaks and valleys of its predecessor, perhaps it isn’t meant to. Rather than ripping his own heart out again, Demarco is simply welcoming listeners into his Rockaway home on the water for a cup of coffee and some easy conversation.

CITY SOUNDS

PROFILE JODY DENBERG

CITY SOUNDS

JODY DENBERG PROFILE

PROGRAM DIRECTOR , KUTX

Everyone can agree that Austin is changing. Whether that is a good or bad thing is yet to be determined. Some say that the capital city is a metropolis on the rise, a thriving economy with a unique culture to boot. Others claim that the city’s golden age has long passed and that every day in Austin is worse than the last. Either way, local radio legend Jody Denberg doesn’t pay much attention to such talk. After all, he has heard it all before. That’s not to say Denberg isn’t aware of any changes taking place. Its pretty hard to ignore a surging population increase and soulnumbing traffic jams, after all. As the Program Director and veteran DJ of KUTX, the city’s popular public radio station, it is literally in his job description to be plugged into what goes on in the city around him. Certainly nobody in their right mind would accuse Jody of being out of touch. In fact, Denberg seems as much a natural component of the Austin community as breakfast tacos and burnt orange, which makes it hard to believe that he originally hails from New York. Jody moved to Austin during the 1980s tech boom to attend the University of Texas, where he accidentally got his start in radio at KLBJ-FM. “I actually wrote an article in the Daily Texan criticizing KLBJ,” he laughs, “so they respond by creating this Sunday morning spot called ‘Critic’s Choice’ and invited me to do a show. They ended up liking what they heard and invited me back on a regular basis… So yeah, I sold out.” But how does one go from Sunday morning filler to Program Director? “I gave them my best ‘put-me-in-coach’ attitude and picked up every shift I could.” They finally gave me the graveyard shift in 1985 after about 4 years.”

CITY SOUNDS

PERSONAL ESSAY

THE

IN A GIST

According

CITY SOUNDS

PERSONAL ESSAY

PERSONAL

For Bud.

The air tastes stale, like cold medicine and cafeteria food. I wander through the stuffy halls, doing my best to guess which dazed people are residents and which are just elderly visitors. Although everything seems very clean, I feel a nagging compulsion to wash my hands. The television is blaring Sunday morning cartoons for some reason; no one seems to be watching. A kindly nurse with bags under her eyes points me in the right direction. Although she doesn’t know me, we speak sympathetically to one another; she has compassion for my aging grandfather and I commiserate with her having to work at a nursing home. Everyone here looks like they have lost something. I stand out as an obvious visitor; the fact that I am unrecognizable to any of the caretakers makes me feel like I don’t visit as much as I should. My cheeks burn as I feel eyes on me and I begin wish I had remembered to shave my goofy undergrad midterm stubble. I am visiting out of a sense of duty more than anything; I love my grandfather but I hate seeing him like this. Luckily I come from a large family – my mother had six siblings, all of whom visit my grandfather of a regular basis. We call him ‘Bud,’ for reasons that were never explained to me. I actually thought that his birth name was Bud for the better part of my childhood; I recall feeling shocked and deceived upon discovering he was actually a Benjamin (that did explain my uncle being a Ben Jr., though). The man liked nothing better than to retire to his armchair after a long day, a glass of scotch in one hand, a cigar in the other – and would everyone please shut the hell up so he could hear the goddamned music! As long as I can remember, he has always been a bullheaded man with little patience for others and zero patience for children. Perhaps this is why my most meaningful memories of my grandfather are of his beloved music. Growing up in Brooklyn’s Jazz Age, Bud was drawn to the music and learned to play both the piano and trumpet at a young age. He became obsessed with different styles of play and took particular interest in an emerging form of bluesy jazz called boogie-woogie.

Bud was still too young to go to many of the city’s clubs, but his father was a regular and cultivated his son’s interest in piano. As my grandfather tells it, there was a night when he received a telephone call from one of the nightclubs, the famed Café Society. “Who do you think this is playing right now?” his father asked him over the phone. My grandfather recognized the style of play and confidently replied that Albert Ammons was on the piano. His father came home the next morning with a handwritten note from the great Ammons himself, extending a personal invitation for Bud to visit the nightclub. From that point on, my grandfather was at the clubs as often as possible, visiting with players like Ammons, Meade “Lux” Lewis and Pete Johnson to study under their direction. Bud continued to master the piano with enthusiam at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn until he was drafted into the U.S. Navy during World War II and met my grandfather back in Brooklyn shortly after. He left the Navy ten years later and relocated to Texas, where he got involved in the burgeoning cable business. A new chapter of his life was beginning but he never stopped playing. Although his hearing has deteriorated, legend has it that my grandfather once had a remarkable ear: he could pick up a piece of music after just hearing it and he had mastered four different languages. Bud and his music were a hit in Texas, where he made friends in the local music community and would often play around Austin in his spare time.

I hardly recognize the old man without his customary beard – it seems that after forty years of facial hair he decided to have it sheared on a whim. That somehow makes my grandfather look even frailer; I had never noticed the hollows of his liver-spotted cheeks or his tissue paper skin. He could be a ghost in a wheelchair. Bud is in the middle of accusing his lovely Puerto Rican caretaker of stealing his watch when he notices me looking at him.

CITY SOUNDS

DESERT ISLAND PLAYLIST A KANYE COUNTDOWN

According to

DESERT ISLAND PLAYLIST

WHILE WE WAIT

CITY SOUNDS

A LOOK AT THE TOP FIVE MOST KANYE SONGS OF KANYE ' S CAREER Kanye West spent the better part of this past year teasing a new album, which he claimed was completed and could drop at any minute. Well what the hell, Yeezy… what happened? We’re coming up on the New Year now and quite frankly I’m starting to worry. Is it that bad? Although not yet justifiable, dramatic comparisons to Dre’s ellusive Detox abound. Or is this all just a game to you and you’re just toying with us now? Either way, the Kanye-Watch is on! In the meantime, lets talk about the man’s career.

Yeezy is a fascinating enigma. He has played both the hero and the villain as his career has reached peaks of genius and valleys of controversy. While Kanye’s art has remained influential throughout the new millennium, his personal life has been scrutinized to no end. Despite a keen public eye on the man’s affairs, he seems to be one of those rare artists whose sheer talent makes him virtually incapable of failing. Elements of his private life, complex personality, and relationship with the public are often reflected in his artwork, which can be quite revealing. While we hold our breath (or not) for Mr. West’s latest work to be released, here are five* of his songs that truly define his career. These are the most revealing songs he has ever written and that, when taken as a whole, paint a complete picture of the artist: the good, the bad, and the Kanye.

5. fourfiveseconds (feat. Rihanna & Paul McCartney) / TBA (2015) I love Kanye. I love the Beatles. Hell, I even love Bad Girl Ri-Ri. So when this track was released as a follow up to 2014’s meteoric "Yeezus," I immediately downloaded it and prepared for the total devastation of my car speakers. And then… What the hell? This song is bad. I had to roll my windows up, I didn’t want to get caught listening to this trash. Talk about devastation. . . Kanye’s career has been full of exorbitance. There was that time he posed as Jesus Christ on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. He went full crucifixion mode with thorns and blood and everything. Or how about the time he and Jay-Z played “N**gas in Paris” live in concert a whopping 12 times in a row, IN PARIS no less. But every man needs a line and enlisting Paul freaking McCartney for a glorified Wilson Phillips rip-off should have been Yeezy’s line. You didn’t have to put your name on this, Paul. You’re better than this, Paul... I love you, Paul.

4. Hey Mama / Late Registration (2005) It’s no secret that Kanye is a momma’s boy. In fact, his mother’s positive impact on his life has been one of the most consistent themes present in his music thus far. He acknowledged her support on Dropout, celebrated her influence on Registration, and spent an entire album lamenting her in auto-tune on 808’s after her sudden passing. Go find that home video of ‘Ye and his moms dancing and singing “Hey Mama” to eachother. Does it sound cheesy? Because its not. It’s so dangerously heartwarming that it might even make you feel for the guy. Kanye's art makes it very clear that behind every male musical mega-genius/fashion designer/cultural icon is a woman, and that woman is his mama.

DESERT ISLAND PLAYLIST

CITY SOUNDS

3. Runaway / My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) Those first piano notes say it all. The steady piercing notes are daggers into the egomaniacal Kanye we thought we knew. Mr. West's 9-minute symphonic opus was an introspective realitycheck into the rapper's notorious ego. Right when you think he’s gone too far, its time for us to have a toast. And get this: that intro piano is set to 80 beats per minute, aka the actual tempo of the human heart, aka Kanye won your heart back and there’s nothing you can do about it. Kanye 2020. Kanye Forever.

2. Tied: New Slaves AND I Am a God (feat. God) / Yeezus (2014)* Yeah it’s a tie, I cheated. But having these two songs on the same album is thematically cheating, too, and if Kanye did it then so can I. One is a song railing against the shackles of material culture (you know, gold slave chains instead of iron ones). The other is a bombastic pissing contest inspired by a discourtesy Kanye was dealt at the hands of a rival fashion designer. But this shouldn't surprise you. Kanye West is a walking contradiction. He is a mishmash of self-loathing and swagger, humility and braggadocio. Think Mike Tyson meets Michelangelo. The combination sometimes feels like you're watching a trainwreck, but usually it makes for pretty compelling art.

1. Last Call / The College Dropout (2004) "Last Call" is the epitome of Kanye West in so many ways. The beat, equal parts soulful melody and freestyle candy, is everything we love about his art. And his verses! For example: "I ain't play the hand I was dealt, I changed my cards / I prayed to the skies and I changed my stars / I went to the malls and I balled too hard / 'Oh my god, is that a Black Card?' / I turned around and replied, why yes but I prefer the term African American Express" As he recounts during the song's lengthy breakdown, Kanye was once a producer chasing the rap dream, but nobody believed in his ability. (Sidenote - is that not the most Kanye move ever to include an 8-minute voice-over breakdown to gloat over your success?) Everybody loves an underdog and once upon a time Kanye was that underdog. But these verses flow. Was Kanye the most overlooked? Yessir. Now is Kanye the most overbooked? Yessir. "Last Call" is the (oftentimes necessary) reminder that back before he was Yeezus, before the fashion lines and Kim Khardashian, before even the Taylor Swift incident (and the Beck incident… and the George Bush incident), he was just Kanye.

CITY SOUNDS

THE SCENE UGK ' S ' RIDIN DIRTY ' AND HOUSTON HIP - HOP

Houston hip-hop is technically a break from my "local Austin music" beat, but I couldn't resist cheating. I grew up on the stuff. I felt at least somewhat justified including this story because Houston rappers can be found performing in Austin all the time. Plus, Austin's hip-hop scene is nonexistent so I basically had no choice.

THE SCENE

STATE OF THE ART Houston's hip-hop, 20 years after UGK's 'Ridin Dirty'

Like milk, hip-hop relevance has always had a threatening expiration date. Despite the genre’s relatively young existence, rap music is prone to sounding very outdated very quickly. The genre constantly evolves and reinvents itself with new sounds and standards, creating ripples of change that make it difficult for artists to maintain much longevity. As the industry has shown, those who have managed to remain successful for very long have done so by causing rap’s ripples rather than riding them. Pioneers like Nas, who scraped the sounds of Brooklyn streets onto the legendary 'Illmatic,' have withstood the test of time. West Coast visionary Dr. Dre secured his spot in rap’s royalty with the release of his solo debut masterpiece, 'The Chronic,' a hip-hop album that broke the mold by embracing its predecessors without heavy reliance on sampling. Similarly, Houston duo UGK (Underground Kingz) singlehandedly put the Dirty South on the map with 'Ridin Dirty.' The Texas tag-team, comprised of rappers Bun B and Pimp C, reshaped the geography of hip-hop: where once the East and West Coasts stood unparalleled, it was time for Houston's Third Coast to shine. UGK’s 'Ridin Dirty' turns 20 this summer, and with it, the identity of Houston hip-hop.

CITY SOUNDS

Bridging the gap – both musically and geographically – between gritty Brooklyn wordplay and smooth Cali G-funk, “Ridin Dirty” is a slick southern masterpiece. Although Pimp C’s masterful production lays the album’s groundwork, it is the duo’s skills on the mic that steal the show. The rappers combine to perform the perfect one-two punch – Pimp’s delivery struck like a whip while Bun ran smooth circles around beats and played the perfect closing man. Rarely is an album so representative of an entire community. Although successful and massively influential upon its release, “Ridin Dirty” is all too often overlooked today as a regional triumph without much national significance. While UGK certainly popularized the city's trademark sound, Houston hip-hop was conceived in the Third Ward with DJ Screw’s Screwed Up Records and Tapes. Screw used turntables to slow – or “screw” – records, mutating songs into hauntingly melodic slow burners. In doing so, rap songs were slowed to a steady cadence and verses played like a mesmerizing form of storytelling. The sounds of Screw’s mixtapes were uniquely Houston, and the regional success led to the formation of the Screwed Up Click, a crew of local rappers that were frequently featured on Screw tapes. Although rappers were scratching a living well before DJ Screw came onto the scene, his contribution to the city’s sound transformed the game by providing the local rap community with the origin of its own identity. A fundamental part of this Houston hip-hop identity was an unashamed love affair with codeine cough syrup. Rappers enjoyed the popular mixture of purple “lean” and sprite, which induced a slowed down, screwed up sensation. The drug use went hand-in-hand with the city’s Screw tapes and Houston began to earn its reputation as the City of Syrup.

THE SCENE Meanwhile, DJ Screw continued to use his mixtapes as a platform to promote local talent, and few rappers sounded better than up-andcoming UGK. The duo's early releases showed promise and both rappers had experienced some success since getting their start out of Port Arthur in 1988. With each new record, Pimp C and Bun B seemed to gain more talent, chemistry, and momentum. By the time "Ridin Dirty" was released in 1996, Pimp's ability as an MC had arguably surpassed his reputation as an acclaimed producer, and Bun had emerged from his partner's shadow to deliver one of the all-time greatest rap performances on an album. With "Ridin Dirty," Houston finally had album that could go toe-to-toe with "Illmatic" and "The Chronic" in terms of both lyricism and production value. Despite this success, the Houston rap scene still had not managed to attain national exposure and popularity until 2004, when Mike Jones ruled the charts with “Still Tippin,” effectively vaulting fellow rappers Slim Thug and Paul Wall into Houston’s candy-coated limelight with him. Chamillionaire followed suit with mega-hit "Ridin," and suddenly Houston hip-hop dominated the popular market like never before.

Predictably, Houston's five minutes came to an end and rap's ripples moved onto the next big sound. Around this time, the codeine-soaked lifestyle surrounding the city’s unique brand of hip-hop began to take its toll. By the mid-2000’s, so many of Houston’s brightest stars – including pioneering producer DJ Screw and UGK’s Pimp C, among others – had tragically fallen victim to dangerous habitual abuse of the drug. Pimp overdosed in 2007, and with him passed one of greatest rap duos in music history. The losses of Houston’s most influential artists stunned the rap community, and the city’s music hasn’t been the same since. Houston’s hip-hop scene – once a flourishing community of artists and businessmen – was in disarray. For years, the city’s rappers had worked together to put their hometown on the map. But following the tragic losses, the rappers began to co-exist somewhat independent of eachother. Many continued to tour throughout the south and can frequently be found performing in Austin, Dallas, and before loyal hometown crowds in Houston. Although few enjoy the same prosperity they experienced at the peak of their popularity, local artists like Scarface, Paul Wall, and Slim Thug continued to release music – albeit quietly.

CITY SOUNDS So as Houston’s dominance of the national market began to fizzle in favor of new music, the distinctive sound Houston had cultivated continued to shape popular hip-hop. East Coast rapper A$AP Rocky and Mississippi’s Big K.R.I.T. both embraced sounds heavily influenced by UGK and the Houston scene, but in different ways. While A$AP won fans with his slow smoky sample-heavy beats, K.R.I.T.’s prowess behind the mic drew comparisons to Pimp C’s ability to strike lyrical lightning. Drake, a Toronto native and one of the biggest names in hip-hop today, was heavily influenced by the screwed up sound and initially launched his career with beats that paid obvious homage to the Houston greats. Although Drake’s music is apt to adopt whatever sound is popular at the time, his love of Third Coast hip-hop and its influence on his work has been one of the few consistencies throughout his career. The Houston influence is still producing quality hiphop that can be heard everywhere… Everywhere but Houston, that is. But that was all set to change when it was announced that the 2014 Free Free Summerfest lineup would feature a reunion of the city’s biggest stars. Many fans saw the reunion as an optimistic representation of things to come, a new age of hip-hop in which Houston’s screwed up supergroup would lead a southern renaissance.

With the city’s towering skyline providing the only fitting backdrop, six local rap legends took the stage for a historic reunion at Houston’s premier music festival. Although none had released a certified hit in over a decade, thousands of rap-enthusiasts braved the sweltering June heat to witness Bun B, Devin the Dude, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, and Mike Jones on stage together for the first time in years. Each of the musicians seemed to relish the opportunity to perform before the massive hometown crowd, and most wisely stuck with tried and true renditions of the classics. Fans grooved with Devin the Dude, a local favorite whose feature verse on Dre’s "The Chronic" once poised him to reign supreme as the game’s smoothest hookman. Z-Ro, the city’s resident seasoned poet, assumed the role of the rap game’s Morrissey as he waxed poetic about prison and women.

CITY SOUNDS Noticeably out of place, however, was the shameless self-promotion of Mike Jones as he premiered his new song at the time, a made-forringtone yawner called “Hit It Again.” But Jones seemed to be the only rapper gearing for a true comeback. The hiccup was quickly forgotten as he was reunited with Paul Wall and Slim Thug for an unforgettable performance of “Still Tippin” in its entirety, something that hadn’t been done in half a decade. The collective performance signaled to the rap world that Houston had transitioned into its greatest hits era, the significance of which almost all the artists on stage seemed to understand and accept, and none more so than Bun B. Following Pimp C's passing, Bun continued to release solo projects and still tours today. The fact that he is entering into his third decade of hip-hop does not escape the 42 year old rapper and he seems to have embraced his role as one of rap's elder statesmen. While he regularly touts that he is "UGK for life," Houstonians know that his connection to the city goes far beyond his former rap group. On any given night, you can find the "Trill OG" performing with the Houston Symphony, dining with close friend Mayor Annise Parker, passionately cheering on local sports teams, or teaching a Religion and Hip-Hop course at Rice University. Bun seems intent on giving back to the city that provided so much for him.

Last week, Pimp C’s widow released a patchwork posthumous album under his name, built around previously unreleased verses Pimp had recorded before his death. The songs consistently feature exactly what you’ve come to expect from Houston hip-hop:

The project, titled "Long Live the Pimp," features a high profile guest list that unites both Pimp C disciples and former peers. Stars like Lil Wayne and A$AP Rocky, who were hugely influenced by Pimp’s rapping and beats, share the stage with UGK contemporaries Juicy J and Nas. And of course, Bun is figuratively reunited with Pimp for a UGK performance from beyond the grave. The fact that the posthumous album is one of the most hyped releases out of Houston in recent memory is telling.

So, nearly 20 years later, what has changed since "Ridin’ Dirty?" In reality, little has changed. The golden days are a tough act to follow, particularly when many of the scene’s most influential artists achieved local legend status by dying in their prime. While artists from other cities prove they understand how to harness their Houston influences to create fresh takes on the traditional sound, Houston’s local talent seem intent on recreating sounds that are decades old.

CITY SOUNDS

QUERY FREE PRESS HOUSTON

The following is a query letter that pitches my Scene piece to a publication.

CITY SOUNDS

QUERY FREE PRESS HOUSTON

Subject: Submission: Music: UGK’s Ridin’ Dirty Turns 20 Dear Editor, When a classic album like UGK’s Ridin Dirty celebrates its 20th anniversary, much has probably changed since its release two decades ago. While this may be the case for most albums, Houston hip-hop seems to have stayed more or less the same 20 years later. That is not a knock on one of the most influential albums of all time, but it does say something about the current state of the once-thriving Houston rap community. The piece will appeal to readers because the Houston rap scene still has a massive following, as evidenced by the popularity of the Welcome to Houston sets at Free Press Summerfest. Speaking of, the piece might even do some advertising for this year's set if it is published closer to the summer when the lineup is announced and "Ridin Dirty" actually turns 20. The piece will begin by addressing the importance and influence of the UGK album, establishing the fact that even 20 years later, "Ridin Dirty" remains one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. In order to provide context, the piece will proceed to provide a brief history of Houston rap, mainly discussing DJ Screw, the city’s syrup sensation, and the scene’s mainstream explosion in the mid-2000s. In doing so, I hope to address the factors leading up to the rap community’s current stalemate. Interestingly enough, Pimp C’s posthumous album was released last week, a fact that provides even more context. The piece will be about 1500 words. Growing up in Houston, I was infatuated with Houston rap. The brilliant combination of soulful funk and brazen braggadocio appealed to me even at a young age and I would stay up late to tune into the local hip-hop station in hopes of hearing the latest from UGK or Lil Keke. Now I am a senior writing student at St. Edward’s University, and my work has appeared in “Life and Arts” section of Hilltop Views, the school’s student newspaper. I enjoy writing about all music, but this is the piece I have always wanted. Please feel free to contact me by phone at 281-687-5528 or by email at mroland@stedwards.edu with any questions. I look forward to hearing your comments. Thank you, Matt Roland

CITY SOUNDS

FEATURE THE LOVE FOR HUMANITY IN A GIST

According to Wikipedia, altruism or selflessness is the principle or practice of concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core aspect of various religious traditions and secular worldviews, though the concept of "others" toward whom concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions. Altruism or selflessness is the opposite of selfishness. The word was coined by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in French, as altruisme, for an antonym of egoism. He derived it from an Italian altrui, which in turn was derived from

FEATURE

CITY SOUNDS

SOUND CHECK Like milk, hip-hop relevance has always had a threatening expiration date. Despite the genre’s relatively young existence, rap music is prone to sounding very outdated very quickly. The genre constantly evolves and reinvents itself with new sounds and standards, creating ripples of change that make it difficult for artists to maintain much longevity. As the industry’s has shown, those who have managed to remain successful for very long have done so by causing rap’s ripples rather than riding them. Pioneers like Nas, who scraped the sounds of Brooklyn streets onto the legendary ‘Illmatic,’ have withstood the test of time. West Coast visionary Dr. Dre secured his spot in rap’s royalty with the release of his solo debut masterpiece, ‘The Chronic,’ a hip-hop album that broke the mold by embracing its predecessors without heavy reliance on sampling. Similarly, Houston duo UGK (Underground Kingz) singlehandedly put the Dirty South on the map with Ridin Dirty.’ The Texas tag-team, comprised of rappers Bun B and Pimp C, reshaped the geography of hip-hop: where once the East and West Coasts stood unparalleled, it was time for Houston’s Third Coast to shine. UGK’s ‘Ridin Dirty’ turns 20 this summer, and with it, the identity of Houston hip-hop.

CITY SOUNDS Meanwhile, DJ Screw continued to use his mixtapes as a platform to promote local talent, and few rappers sounded better than up-and-coming UGK. The duo's early releases showed promise and both rappers had experienced some success since getting their start out of Port Arthur in 1988. With each new record, Pimp C and Bun B seemed to gain more talent, chemistry, and momentum. By the time "Ridin Dirty" was released in 1996, Pimp's ability as an MC had arguably surpassed his reputation as an acclaimed producer, and Bun had emerged from his partner's shadow to deliver one of the all-time greatest rap performances on an album. With "Ridin Dirty," Houston finally had album that could go toeto-toe with "Illmatic" and "The Chronic" in terms of both lyricism and production value. Despite this success, the Houston rap scene still had not managed to attain national exposure and popularity until 2004, when Mike Jones ruled the charts with “Still Tippin,” effectively vaulting fellow rappers Slim Thug and Paul Wall into Houston’s candy-coated limelight with him. Chamillionaire followed suit with mega-hit "Ridin," and suddenly Houston hip-hop dominated the popular market like never before. Predictably, Houston's five minutes came to an end and rap's ripples moved onto the next big sound. Around this time, the codeine-soaked lifestyle surrounding the city’s unique brand of hiphop began to take its toll. By the mid-2000’s, so many of Houston’s brightest stars – including pioneering producer DJ Screw and UGK’s Pimp C, among others – had tragically fallen victim to dangerous habitual abuse of the drug. Pimp overdosed in 2007, and with him passed one of greatest rap duos in music history. The losses of Houston’s most influential artists stunned the rap community, and the city’s music hasn’t been the same since. Houston’s hip-hop scene – once a flourishing community of artists and businessmen – was in disarray. For years, the city’s rappers had worked together to put their hometown on the map. But following the tragic losses, the rappers began to co-exist somewhat independent of eachother. Many continued to tour throughout the south and can frequently be found performing in Austin, Dallas, and before loyal hometown crowds in Houston. Although few enjoy the same prosperity they experienced at the peak of their popularity, local artists like Scarface, Paul Wall, and Slim Thug continued to release music – albeit quietly.

So as Houston’s dominance of the national market began to fizzle in favor of new music, the distinctive sound Houston had cultivated continued to shape popular hip-hop. East Coast rapper A$AP Rocky and Mississippi’s Big K.R.I.T. both embraced sounds heavily influenced by UGK and the Houston scene, but in different ways. While A$AP won fans with his slow smoky sample-heavy beats, K.R.I.T.’s prowess behind the mic drew comparisons to Pimp C’s ability to strike lyrical lightning. Drake, a Toronto native and one of the biggest names in hip-hop today, was heavily influenced by the screwed up sound and initially launched his career with beats that paid obvious homage to the Houston greats. Although Drake’s music is apt to adopt whatever sound is popular at the time, his love of Third Coast hip-hop and its influence on his work has been one of the few consistencies throughout his career. The Houston influence is still producing quality hiphop that can be heard everywhere… Everywhere but Houston, that is. But that was all set to change when it was announced that the 2014 Free Free Summerfest lineup would feature a reunion of the city’s biggest stars. Many fans saw the reunion as an optimistic representation of things to come, a new age of hip-hop in which Houston’s screwed up supergroup would lead a southern renaissance.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matthew D. Roland Matt is a senior at St. Edward’s University in Austin pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and Rhetoric. Matt has honed his writing ability through the university’s skills-based curriculum and produced professional-level content in more than a dozen class projects. Matt enjoys being an active member in all aspects of the Austin community, including volunteering in a local after-school program for elementary-aged children and being involved in a fraternity at the nearby University of Texas Greek system. From working as a legal runner at a law firm to directing a staff of counselors at a summer camp, Matt takes pleasure in interacting with others and is known for cultivating positive work relationships. In his free time, Matt is a voracious reader of fiction. He also has a passion for the arts, particularly music and film, and has been published in the “Life and Arts” section of Hilltop Views, the university’s student newspaper. Matt hopes to further apply his professional writing skills at the next level and pursue a Juris Doctorate in law school.