Arrested Development. Not the corny, over-hyped, not-canceled-soon-enough show, but the band. You remember them, right?
Baba Oje. Speech. Dionne. The drums. The dreads. The African-music-festival-on-wax vibe... Yeah, that Arrested Development. Now you remember them?
They blew up so fast and crossed over so quick thanks to "three years...", specifically with white collegiates and the MTV crowd that they became every white rap fan's honorary "black friend." You couldn't have a convo in the 90s about hiphop without some white boy saying something to the effect of "why can't all these threatening evil black rappers be more non-threatening and feel-good like AD?"
I think Speech was like the one Black emcee that every white hiphop fan felt they could beat up. He was Franklin from Charlie Brown--he'd show up spit little something nice for all the white kids, make âem say ahh, then they'd dismissed him like a note to the principal.
Regardless, AD was dope. Cohesive concepts, organic vibes, solid chantable hooksâ¦
But by â99, Jay, DMX and the south had the game on lock with Nelly and Em about to blow. And AD just slid off the music industry cliff, victim to all the standard potholes: corner-hugging haters and fickle fans, solo bids both real & rumored
(fyi: Dionne Farris' debut was a classic—got an RTB on her comin' soon), you know the rest...
Anyway, what got me thinking about AD is this stunningly bad commercial running in SoCal right now. It uses a bar-band version of People Everyday. Every time I hear it I think Speech should go ELF and firebomb the ad agency that put this spot together.
The other thing that got me thinking is I got hit off with a "new" album of theirs from one of my guys up in Toronto.
If thereâs such a thing as âgrown folks hiphopâ (I see you Roots, 9th, NYOiL, etc.) I think ADâs found it on their 6thâthatâs rightâsixth album. Since The Last Time dropped in 2007. Or 2006 depending on which set of liner notes Iâm looking at. STLT is actually the crew's 3rd album since they re-emerged stateside a few years ago ( 2000âs dark and brooding Heroes Of The Harvest, 2004âs uneven but strong & experimental Among The Trees being the other two.)
So here's what's on STLT:
No catchy ring-tone fodder here. No goofy dances for the YouTube crowd to bite, either. But AD's bringing some pretty thoughtful, day in the life vibes, more overtly spiritual musings, and increased lyricism and quality beats. In short, the AD clique is just doing better work in their ripe old age.
The title track leads off with a dope piano loop that sounds like something from Blackalicious or old Hiero— You just know you're in for a story. The story is growing thru woes which is actually the theme of the album. Speech sports a refreshingly evolved flow--he's faster, smoother, more conversational and less, well, "speechy".
Other standout cuts include "Miracles", a cool joint about making possibilities reality and "San Paulo", which is about the beauty of Brazil and just broadening your mind as an artist beyond your own environment. Sunshine is a summertime number about interracial love that doesn't come off as preachy or corny as it could've.
Musically, STLT delivers that happy, hand clap body rock vibe that made AD hot in the 90s, but now it's more organic, more instrumental and just more feel-good outdoor festival-ish than ever. It's a great change of pace from the current state.
Give 'em a listen.
Since The Last Time Arrested Development
http://rapidshare.com/files/103129795/Since_The_Last_Time_Arrested_Development.mp3
How Far Is Heaven? Arrested Development
http://rapidshare.com/files/103129789/Arrested_Development_How_far_is_Heaven.mp3
