I love it when hip hop gets namechecked by non-rap artists that I really respect. I encountered it twice last week: first in listening to Jens Lekman, the somewhat melancholy but ever-melodic bard from Sweden, who intones "I still remember Regulate with Warren G, could that have been back in the sweet summer of 1993" in the great track Another sweet summer's night on Hammer Hill. Wrong year, but he hits the nail on the head nonetheless; that track evokes strong memories in a lot of people. Listen to this and more on his lovely CD "Oh you're so silent Jens" and check out some other songs of his here. Secondly, I read an interview excerpt in the Daily Telegraph of Tom Waits giving hip hop artists props, because he dug rap music's realness and immediacy (ok ok, the interview was from a 1988 Playboy, but hey...).
But that is not what this post was supposed to be about: it was actually intended as a tribute to some of the small, impressive labels in hip hop, in this particular case Rawkus and Stones Throw. Not sure what Rawkus Records is up to right now, but they sure commanded plenty of respect and attention (including mine) between five and ten years ago. For me, their role has recently been usurped by Stones Throw, whose amazing artist rostrum and sonicscapes have blown me away. Here is a sample of their music... the King is dead, long live the King! Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!
http://rapidshare.de/files/11350826/ST101.rar.html
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