XRabit and DMG$ - Hello World (Big Dada 2009)

Before we get to the exposition on this new exciting signing to the best UK hip-hop label, a moment please to discuss Big Dada's PR gurus. Suffering many daily press releases on everything from books to CDs to vacuum cleaners, so many want to fill your head with adjectives and comparisons and similes and other descriptors that do nothing to inspire you to get involved. Big Dada, since time immemorial, have written press releases that brim with schoolboy levels of excitement, that make you think they like the product enough to back it, that you should be excited too. Damn, this press release made me excited to listen to this album.

Right, Big Dada- label to Roots Manuva, New Flesh and Infinite Livez- three examples of superior UK hip-hop. Their choices of imports have been a little hit and miss of late, and Will Ashon has been off writing superlative novels, but this time they got it so right. Berlin-raised producer XRabit teams up with Texan duo DMG$ to deliver an album of humourous trendy electronic hip-hop efforts that bang as well as bounce, that cause laughter as much as jitters. This is Vice-sponsored hip-hop at its superlative. It'll annoy the diehards and tryhards that flock to Primo and Pete Rock for inspiration, but this album is great. It's light and fun. It's a joy to listen to. It doesn't care about being worthy or true to the elements, it's well-put-together and sparking with wit and invention. Like all of Big Dada's other acts, from TY to Part 2 to TTC, all superior acts. 'Ferris Bueller' reigns in the 'cool' comparisons by destroying the idea of hipster rap over a ridiculously funky discotronic beat, electric and funny. The rappers of DMG$ spark off each other, trying to out-funny each other, interplaying their vocals in a sing-songy jovial easy fashion, while XRabit whips up storming meticulous beats brimming with versatility and muscle. The Southern drawl of the rappers lend themselves to listenable quotables and their focus on banging choruses over banging beats, means that songs like 'My Stereo' and 'Cheese' are the good side of trite and teenage. 'Salt Shaker' is filthy and funny, as is the infantile 'Party in my Pants.' The obvious comparison is The Cool Kids who focus on good time rapping with charisma, ease and quotable cool lines. The 80s inflections and the twisted electronics make this an interesting album with some of the most listened rappers around at the moment.



Big Dada
XRabit