steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
info opinion

Dave Soldier

"Da HipHop Raskalz" CD

Mulatta Records

Genre: hip hop, kidz stylez

May 2007

yo check it, these are the freshest trax this side of compton. straight from the amber charter school in east harlem, nyc comes this sixteen-track compilation of hip hop cuts from 5-10 year old kids, as put together by former thai elephant orchestra conspirator dave soldier. like the tangerine arkestra (those even younger brooklyn kids he recorded improvising their own songs), da hiphop raskalz write/improvise and play these songs entirely on their own, with soldier only acting as a coach. already (and quite predictably) a favourite at stellar station wfmu, this disc is jam-packed with a wide array of lovely nuggets. how can you resist the tuff kidz' hilarious post-romance diss-up anthem ("your breath stinks/you're so/you need listerine/you need a tic tac in yo backpack")? or sweetness' "do the lollipop", which touches on flavours of candy and ends with a culturally-friendly list of countries. and let's not forget the not-at-all repetitive "feel tha beat," courtesy of the school rock band. oh yeah, and props to the awesome cover art.

mp3s (from mulatta.org): chickenwing, do the lollipop

80%

Fun Fact: There's a guide on the label's website for doing this project yourself.

coxwell balaban

[Vitals: 15 tracks, 50:17, distributed by the label, released 2006]