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Live Review
by SashaS
12-4-2004
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| Dizzee, rascal of the static Brit-scene |
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Live: Dizzee Rascal
Fabric, London
Friday, April 9, 2004
A couple of Easter gigs
D-12
Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
08 April 2004
D-12 have got their second disc ready, 'D-12 World'. For maximum exposure, their mentor/label boss/mega-star Eminem is in the tow. And, as the single boasts - ‘My Band’ - this ain’t nothing without the mainman. So, he offers us another slice of a violent, street-clad missive from the mean streets of Detroit. Erm, as observed through the rose-tinted shades from the back of a stretched-limo. Obviously, a triumph in dumbing.
Otherwise, this intimate show witnessed the star perform a whole set with his crew to launch the outfit’s forthcoming album. The set featured hits such as ‘Purple Hills’ and ‘Fight Music’, alongside new songs ‘40 Oz’, ‘Six In The Morning’ and the new single.
Dressed in a red tracksuit and baseball cap, Eminem was keen not to dominate by taking equal time on the mic as the rest of the band. But, live - they are a standard-rap affair that adds nothing to the canon of the genre that is getting softer, blander and more blingy. Honestly, if it weren’t for Eminem, would D-12 be having a contract, this attention and success? Nope, deffo - negative.
Dead Prez and Public Enemy, and occasionally Cypress Hill, appear to be the few remaining rappers on the planet if you want it to reflect, sound and ‘smell’ like the American ‘hood-life.
D-12: pop hits pretending to be street-wise.
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Dizzee Rascal
Fabric, London
09 April 2004
Alike D-12 Dizzee Rascal’s got a problem but of a different kind. The Em’s off-shot is a crew of retroist whilst Dizzee Rascal is a futurist. For the difference from D-12 music’s conveniently blending into the background in the Dido fashion, the Bow teen’s debut album ‘Boy In The Corner’ doesn’t let you relax for a minute.
Although on a PA duty tonight - backed by a DJ only for a stripped down show - it is not working less of a wonder. His rapid delivery style and minimalist backing doesn‘t make this less of a primal call. Apart the material from the debut tracks, there was airing of few new cuts from the sophomore album due out in July. And, the plan is to tour it with a full band.
The Mercury Music Price panel was right in awarding him the title of the Best Album 2003 over Radiohead and Coldplay, while nominating The Darkness was a very poor joke. Alas, the award hardly raised his profile in the mainstream and the big and sad question is - whether he is going to rise above the fortunes of several previous winners such as Gomez, Portishead, Talvin Singh and Roni Size…
Another possible difficulty is that cosmopolitan ideal has been surpassed in the name of cultural segregation.
Dizzee, he really is a rascal. Blastin’ busy…
SashaS
12-4-2004
D-12’s album ‘D-12 World’ is released 26 April by Shady Records/UGM
Dizzee Rascal’s album ‘Boy In The Corner’ is available now on XL Recordings
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