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Certainly, after “I Used To Get It In Ohio” Cam’ron was official back. He had everyone scratching their heads with the recession rap banger “I Hate My Job”–seriously, rapping from the perspective of the everyday workingwoman–long way from the pink chinchillas and lamborghinis. Check the video below.

Yesterday, this completely absurd track with Soulja Boy-style hook leaked. Welcome back, Killa!

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/Camron-CookiesAppleJuice.mp3]

Cam’ron – Cookies & Apple Juice

$$$

Recession Rap Jams,  follow protocol…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWQWTZVWVZs[/youtube]

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[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/Pill-BackOutside.mp3]

Pill – Back Outside

Pill is a rising lyricist from ATL, and is one of Killa Mike‘s proteges in Grindtime Rap Gang. This joint if off his new tape 4180: The Prescription. Buyable here – if you have money, or if you’re into spending money at all, cop it!

It’s going down like a stock (computer) (?)
Or a job with union… (?)

Recession Rap Jams, jumping like a trout attached to a rabbit!(?)

Courtesy of Traps N Trunks

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[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/AttitudeJackieChain-Money.mp3]

Attitude f/ Jackie Chain – Money

It will be a shame if “Money” does not appear on Attitude‘s upcoming release T.I.M. (Time Is Money) —although, I have to admit “Blow Ya Back Out”, the single his label is currently pushing is pretty tough.  On this track, Attitude recruit Jackie Chain to rap about the psychological and emotional scars and ills of not having/having money in these dire times over a poignant beat/sample (of which we can only guess is provided by the Alabama’s own, incredible Block Beataz.)

Money, money makes the world go ’round
Money, money make you change your sound,
If the price is right, if the price is right…

Recession Rap Jams, we’re gonna keep on rolling.

Props to BLVD ST

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art by waɪ.ti

Rap music is better when the economy is in terrible shape. At the moment, the US economy is in the toilet. Questlove had a theory on general social depression/economic mess and great rap music/black art –

My theory is that nine times out of ten, if there’s a depression, more a social depression than anything, it brings out the best art in black people. The best example is, Reagan and Bush gave us the best years of hiphop. I think had Carter and then Mondale won, or if Jesse [Jackson] were President from ’84 to ’88, hiphop wouldn’t have been the same. Hiphop wouldn’t have existed. I think you would have more black Tom Waitses. Marsalis would be goin double platinum. There would be more black Joni Mitchells. [Gets impish grin.] The Roots would sell ten million.

The quote above is from an interview he did in 2003, and since then his band released two politically charged albums, Game Theory and Rising Down.  Obviously, Questo’s point is multi-layered and nuanced, and I’m not completely sure how strong his theory holds in the post-Bush and Obama era, with our Soulja Boy and ringtone rap phenomenon and recent technological advances.

I have gathered a series of tracks, recession rap jams that have been cropping up as the economy continue its decline.  For the next two weeks, I will be posting individual rap jams addressing the global economic crisis from realistic, pragmatic, and amusing levels, along with a brief description. The vast majority of the tracks came from blogs like BLVD ST, Nah Right, 2dopeboyz, and cocaine blunts, and a few from CDs and other sources.

So get ready – those of us with non-recession-proof pockets, those of us who have been living in an economic recession all our lives – Recession Rap Jams!

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/YoungJeezy-Circulate.mp3]

Young Jeezy – Circulate

Hate to have to be the one that said I told you
Lord knows I can’t wait until this recession’s over
Gas higher than me, shit, I’m tryin to see
And whereever that they at that’s where I’m tryin to be
It was all good a week ago, Young, the big tipper
Grind it all, we can throw it all at the strippers
Got me looking at my stash, like where the fuck the rest at
Looking at my watch like its a bad investment
Speakin of investmens, we talking investments
My Re-Up money, Yeah im tryna invest it
Sell a nigga dream, Man tellin me its up
His folks got him on hold, still ain’t heard nothing

Sound like the countrys going broke
The industrys going up in smoke
Politicians talking crazy
Or they just bein to lazy
Is it all because of Watergate?

As far as I can tell, Young Jeezy forsaw the seriousness of the current global economic struggle in early 2008 and titled his album The Recession, probably the best mainstream rap release of last year— mainly because it features actual rapping. On “Circulate”, Jeezy and producer Don Cannon rework a Billy Paul/soul track from the 1970s dealing with issues ranging from the financial crisis, govt overspending, and stock market crash to unemployment, price of food and gas, and  environmental degradation.

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwGFPgQIQ9E[/youtube]Even when the music is terrible, the dancers are always incredible.  You can always bet on dancers from the DRC.

African music/video lovers rejoice, and thank idamawatu for putting up thousands of African music videos and categorized by country.

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[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/ZRo-25Lighters.mp3]

Z-Ro – 25 Lighters

an epic screwed freestyle joint from another overlooked Southside rapper, Z-Ro. This is from Crack, an album which finds the much loved and respected Southern rapper in usual low spirits exploring themes such as isolation (there’s something about Z-Ro’s loner persona, being from the lone star state, lone star state of mind?), crime, fake friends, and selfish women with a few bright, joyful moments—but it seems overall, still uncompromisingly gloomy like much of his previous works.

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[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/TonyAllen-OleMoritzVonOswaldRemix.mp3]

Tony Allen – Ole (Moritz Von Oswald Remix)

There is a lot going on here – a world shrinking and expanding, traditional Yoruba ceremonial drums and chants being laced with spacious/spacey (digital?) synth-pads, you can feel the continents drifting closer and apart as the sounds unfold, combine, and mingle, the relationship between Africa and Europe in the 21st century.

I started listening to Rhythm & Sound and Basic Channel around 2004.  They, Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus, struck me as complex, disciplined, sophisticated musicians.  In the video below from sometime late last year, Moritz answers questions, explains his/their history, economic philosophy, work ethic, etc., at length as the audience and the interviewer sip Red Bull and doze off, and vibe to the music.  It’s great to hear/see him talk, but you have to brave the aggressive marketing overkill for Red Bull.  I would like to read or watch an extensive interview with him conducted in a different environment, but this one is alright for now, I guess –it’s relaxed, and he appears to be comfortable.

As I listened to Moritz’s German accent, I thought about one of Rupture’s point in an interview with Plan B magazine – “the internet contributes to the spread of English-language hegemony.”  I also thought about my African/Sierra Leonean accent, which is not very strong but it’s there –a constant reminder that I am speaking other peoples’ language rather than my own. What if the interview was done in German and translated or transcribed for English and other speakers? That would be too much trouble, an unnecessary struggle, right? Red Bull Music Academy is an annual international affair hosted in cities around the world, features guest lecturers and participants, and almost everyone who spoke, had some form of accent (including British.)

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Movado took a loss, evidently, and looked quite “wounded” in the post-clash interviews but that’s not going to slow him down.  Arguably, the biggest dancehall star in the world at the moment, thanks to Hot 97 and his mega-popular hit song “So Special” – video below.  He lives in a futuristic city, drives a lamborghini, sleeps and wakes up with beautiful women, not to forget the alcohol and good smoke– you know, all of the things suitable for a dancehall reggae superstar’s life.

On another note – I was talking to a vendor who has been sold out of the Sting 2008 DVDs for weeks. She’s at the intersection of Fulton and Nostrand in Bed-Stuy, so one can only imagine how fast those DVDs move.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cq2N9rllpo[/youtube]

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It’s hot like hell in the South
It feel like we like we in the devil’s mouth in the South…

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/07-killer_mike-god_in_the_building.mp3]

Killer Mike – God In The Building

from I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind II, another remarkable rap album from the south that didn’t get much exposure in ’08. Killer Mike brings to life the unimaginable with this potent mix of bluntness (is there really a better word to describe Killer?) and southern/black American spirituality…

Young player from the South, tell stories like Biggie
Take the King’s English, paint pictures so vivid
Make the listener swear to God they lived it
If that ain’t God in motion, nigga tell me what is it
The church ladies weep when they hear ya man speak
They say they see God in me, but I’m in the streets
They ask me why I’m rappin’, tell me I’m called to preach
I smile, I kiss ’em on they honey brown cheeks
I tell’ em “God bless ’em” and they concerned for me
But you can never walk on water if you still fear the sea
If Jesus came back, Mother, where d’you think he’d be?
Probably in these streets with me…