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Tag: Black Anger

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Circumstance Dictates

Boom Bap Project put out their first single “The Trade” b/w “Writer’s Guild” in the year 2000. These two tracks introduced Boom Bap Project, Nightclubber Lang and Destro, as a rough and tumble duo of rappers who were all about the traditional 1980s hip-hop style of hard beats and braggadocious lyrics. By 2001, the group finished an EP called Circumstance Dictates. According to Wikipedia, after this EP was released, DJ Tré left the group and was replaced with DJ Scene.

Circumstance Dictates contains an intro beat, the two songs from their debut single, and six new tracks. Jake One handles most of the production here, and does an admirable job of capturing the golden-era rap aesthetic. “All Stars” features Tacoma group Black Anger, and has a groovy descending bassline carrying the beat. Hieroglyphics crew member Pep Love guests on “Net Worth.” The woebegone sounding “All I Have Left” gets a visit from fellow Oldominion posse members JFK, Snafu and Toni Hill. Breezy track “Who’s That?” produced by Nightclubber and Vitamin D floats by like a cloud on a warm day.

“Odds On Favorite” never really comes together for me, the yawning strings don’t enhance the drums but rather distract from them, and L*Roneus sounds like he’s cosplaying Del Tha Funkee Homosapien. “Take It To The Stage” begins with, “I give a f*** who we offend up in this motherf***er right about now,” and then pummels the listener with overt anti-gay messages. It may have been songs like this that caused Macklemore to drop his ode to acceptance and tolerance, “Same Love” in 2012. Written by Novocaine132

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Blessed 2 Mic Check

Blessed 2 Mic Check, the wax debut from Nomad Da Nomadic, is a quintessential slab of NW wax, and in many ways typified the Seattle area hip-hop scene in the late nineties. What that means is basically it was hella dope and you missed it. With production by Mr. Supreme on the title cut, and DJ Sayeed and DJ Swift on the two B-sides, this record is sonically tight – especially Sayeed’s track “Da Movement,” which happens to feature Sayeed’s group Black Anger. “Shantae,” Swift’s slower number, comes with its own bonus, as it’s blessed by local heroine Felicia Loud on the hook. Nomad has no problems holding his own amid all this greatness, and in fact, his direct and gritty flow is surprisingly complimentary to the bombastic delivery of Black Anger and Felicia’s gorgeous crooning. Likewise, the beats fit Nomad’s style perfectly, especially Swift’s dark and sedated track, with its murky organ and vibe loops. From here, Nomad went on to release a couple 12″s in 2000 and 2001, as well as a full-length in 2001. His entire output is strong and worth tracking down. (This review originally appeared on the Bring That Beat Back blog and was written by Jack Devo.)

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Classic Elements

Classic Elements was released by Olympia’s K Records in 1998. It contains tracks by sixteen Northwest hip hop artists, including some certified legends. The lyrics are consistently excellent throughout the compilation. These are songs for the mind, and many are vignettes in the true sense of the word, a good example being the captivating saga contained in “A.N.I.T.A.” by Nobody. The production on Classic Elements glows softly like a vintage Edison light bulb. DJ Sayeed (Black Anger) and Brian Weber (Dub Narcotic) both play a large role in shaping the sound of this compilation. Mr. Supreme drops a sublime Twin-Peaks-esque beat for Jace on “What’s Ya Definition,” and Topspin captures a tempest in a teapot with his beat for “Sleep” by Sinsemilla. Every track on this compilation is a genuine artistic expression, and that carries some risk because the performers put their feelings out on display which renders them vulnerable to misunderstanding, or worse, indifference. One of the highlights is “Hip Hop Was” by Ghetto Chilldren, which shines with professional polish among some of the dustier tracks. When you include a track by Source of Labor with Beyond Reality, “Aunt Anna,” and a couple of underground heat rocks from Silas Blak, “Only When I’m High,” and “Blak And Blind,” there’s every reason to make sure this compilation is part of your music collection. (Written by Novocaine132.)

Here’s another take:

Like the four leaves on a lucky clover, four ’90s era Seattle compilations showcase the diverse hip-hop collectives in Washington State and with them your windfall of sounds and explorations: Do The Math, 14 Fathoms Deep, Walkman Rotation, and here, Classic Elements (co-released by Impact Entertainment and K Records). Back then getting the handful of cassettes and comps was a great thrill, and the Seattle area offered up the best. Classic Elements was released at a time when the main place to hear local hip-hop was on the street at Westlake Center or on KCMU’s Rap Attack. Like the title, the classics here are Ghetto Chilldren, Source Of Labor, Black Anger, and Tilson, all offering hits that transcend national radio rap and bring a better class of words and thoughts. Some groups won’t be found outside of this collection – Nobody, Jaleel, 5E, Ski, and Arson have songs that play smooth and timeless. Classic Elements is as relevant today as it was twenty-some years ago. Released on cassette, CD, and on an abbreviated LP – Find it, get it. Good! (This review was submitted by reader Brett Sandstrom.)

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206 Mix Tapes (Worldwide)

Tacoma’s Black Anger released their first demo tape in 1994, and then two years later K Records in Olympia pressed up the group’s first vinyl single, “Feel What I Feel.” Fans were paying attention, and 1997 was a big year for Black Anger. The group dropped a strong EP called Maxed Out Singles, which contained the two songs from the group’s ’96 single plus four new original tracks.

206 Mix Tapes (Worldwide) is a separate EP which contains four cuts from Maxed Out Singles, and their corresponding instrumentals. The covers are very similar with the same silver jacket, but for 206 Mix Tapes (Worldwide) the art is a vibrant green, whereas the Maxed Out Singles art was electric red. In fact the two releases even share the same catalog number (KLP 71) at K Records.

The first two tracks on 206 Mix Tapes (Worldwide) are radio edits of “206 Mix Tapes” and “Conscious Attack.” Track three, “Violence I Become It” repurposes a dope Nas lyric in the chorus, while the melody takes your ear for a ride. The last track on side A, “Still No Commercial,” has a few zig zags and surprises up its sleeve. The B-side has instrumentals of the four songs found on the A-side, very useful for the DJs of the world. Following this release, the group’s single “Third Eye” made it onto the 1998 Classic Elements compilation, but according to Discogs, “Third Eye” seems to be Black Anger’s last official song together as a group. Written by Novocaine132

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Maxed Out Singles

Black Anger is an extension of the sibling production team Bedroom Produksionz, consisting of DJ Sayeed and emcee Kindu. With the addition of E-Real Asim, they become Black Anger. In my opinion, they occupy the top tier of ’90s Northwest acts along with Tribal Productions, Silent Lambs, and Source of Labor. This EP was put out by K records in ’97 and remains a high point in the recorded output of local acts – especially “206 Mix Tapes,” one of the dopest tracks in ’90s hip-hop – period. (This review originally appeared on the Bring That Beat Back blog and was written by Jack Devo.)

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Feel What I Feel

Siblings DJ Sayeed and MC Kendo (also spelled Kindu) were possibly inspired by Jonathan Moore and the revolutionary Jasiri Media Group project when they teamed up to create a new rap subculture in Tacoma. Sayeed and Kendo added E-Real Asim, and the three of them named their group Black Anger. The group dropped an excellent tape in 1994 called Damn!… Da Demo. “Feel What I Feel” is Black Anger’s first vinyl single, released in 1996 on Olympia’s K Records. According to the Turnfables Instagram page, “Sonically, Black Anger’s music is straight out of that golden era of 90s hip-hop, utilizing jazz samples, dusty drums, and lyrical content that covers societal ills such as commercialism, racism, and oppression.”

The A-side, “Feel What I Feel,” featuring Kendo, E-Real, and guest Wicked D, has a lot to say, and the stripped-down beat allows the conscious lyrics to really shine. Featuring an original version, radio edit, and an instrumental, this format is an ideal way to send out a promo. It’s perfect for club DJs, radio stations, and general listeners. Indeed this wax single helped to grow Black Anger’s audience, and they quickly became prominent players in the Northwest rap scene.

“No Commercial” by Kendo and Sayeed is the B-side, and it brings a slightly harder edge. Black Anger talks about how they don’t want to sell out, for instance, “Be true to yourself and we might be tight, rap’s been commercial since Rapper’s Delight.” The end of “No Commercial” rocks a respectable shout-out list including the aforementioned Jasiri Media Group, Dead Presidents, Blak, Jace, Ghetto Chilldren, B-Mello, Phat Mob, Sinsemilla, and many other Seattle/Tacoma rap figures. Written by Novocaine132

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Damn!... Da Demo

From 1994, Black Anger’s Damn!… Da Demo cassette is one of the rarest and storied objects in the history of Seattle hip-hop. Collectors discuss it with hushed tones: “So, have YOU heard Damn Da Demo?”

I once had a long debate with Larry Mizell Jr over whether this cassette was amongst the greatest record of all PNW hip-hop.

Hailing from Tacoma, Black Anger was active and acclaimed between 1994 and 2000. Their recorded output consists of a handful of spectacular 12” EPs and a later compilation of these singles called Maxed Out Singles.

This demo was their first project and it hits hard with a confidence that carries through all of their music. The lead track on this demo cassette is “nigga stick.” It’s a song of magical metamorphosis. The lyrics loop around “the stick” … first, as a symbol of oppression, then as one of self-defense, and finally as an expression of phallic pride. On the second side, the song is remixed with a chill lounge vibe that makes it both more familiar and completely unrecognizable.

The group were both talented rappers and accomplished producers (working under the name Bedroom Produksionz). You can hear these twin talents in the interplay between the beats and verses, one finding the gaps in the other like gears. This music is remarkable to listen to.

Apparently, only a handful of these demo cassettes were ever made. Olympia’s KAOS radio was in the process of throwing out this copy when musician Dawhud saved it from the trash bin. Thank you, sir, for preserving history. This is easily one of my favorite of all-time records.

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