 |
| |
|
| |
Album Review
by Fuego451
23-7-2003
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Dizzee Rascal, Mercury nominee already! |
|
Dizzee Rascal: 'Boy In Da Corner'
(XL Recordings)
Dizzee Rascal: rise of a genuine UK rapper - Mercury 2003 winner
The facts of life: a few years ago So Solid Crew were hailed as the saviours of Urban sound in Britain but it all fell apart in plenty of gun-related jailing episodes and it looks now that only the divine Lisa Maffia has any future, as the band’s second album suddenly disappeared from the release schedule. After few other names mentioned in meantime, the dreadful album by The Streets last year was lavished with attributes beyond any reason, value and taste; recently un-cut and their debut album ‘The Un-Calculated Some’ were touted…
But, Dizzee Rascal can well be may be da dope, which has just been confirmed with the Mercury Prize nomination. His debut ‘Boy In Da Corner’ is such a portion of inventive, audacious and, damn it, cool album to make you glad to be a-live now. But the record’s creator almost didn’t; Rascal was stabbed 4 times in Aiya Napa only a couple of weeks ago. That adds cred, no end, on the getting-meaner streets in the UK.
And, that’s where the album focuses on, the streetlife from a perspective of an 18-year-old east Londoner, Dylan Mills. Although he rose through the ranks of Roll Deep and his background is garage, this is a solid Hip-hop disc. Unlike anything you can hear now, this hard, brutal, frank and deadly accurate in its depictions of the English scenes of wailing sirens (police and ambulance), gun shots, weapon loading, cries of pain and for help, bonking as a delusion of anti-solitude, being left behind and disillusioned…
‘Sittin’ Here’ observes violent society, ‘I Luv U’ freaks out over parenthood after a single night of fun, ‘Round We Go (Ain’t No Love)’ is about loveless sex, ‘Jus’ A Rascal’ (semi-autobiographical, one supposes)… Usually set against the minimal backing – apart the rock-monolithic ‘Fix Up, Look Sharp’ (that strangely recalls Queen-atmo, that’s Freddie Mercury-led outfit and not QEII) – DR delivers his rhymes with unmistakable force of conviction. The first time Britain has truly produced a record that proudly can sit next to Eminem’s (although not as poppy), it’s more blasting than 50 Cent and it even reaches the height of vintage Public Enemy on ‘Seems 2 Be’...
In the climate of increasing creative corruption, Dizzee displays power, imagination and nous to drop tunes that are nu and yet no alien but truly echoing life on the Brit-streets and estates. Listening to this is reminiscent to the first encounter with Tricky’s ‘Maxinquaye’, it feels that purifying, major and revolutionary. And cross-cultural with so many of the British multi-national ingredients in da mix.
Our culture is reflected in everyday language: full of gratuitous profanities. Yep, too much sonic (and visual) junk around... Saved by Dizzee Rascal! Embrace da rebel’s quality chronicle wiv pride.
9/10
Fuego451
23-7-2003
Dizzee Rascal’s album ‘Boy In Da Corner’ is released 21 July 2003 by XL Recordings
|
|
|
