TOWN LOVE is an online art museum dedicated to celebrating the vibrant past and present of Northwest Hip-Hop. You can browse by artist or browse by year.

This gallery page is organized to highlight the creative work of

Tag: Manat MacLeod

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Sippin' Music

Cancer Rising is a hip-hop group with two MC’s—Gatsby and Judas—and one DJ, Tiles One. Sippin’ Music is the group’s first album, and it is a strong effort with a wide scope. The songs range from rowdy uptempo party jams like “Stop, Drop, Roll” and “Serious as…” to slower, more pensive tracks like “Fly Away” and “Who Woulda Thought.” Album highlights include “Sleight Of Hand,” which tackles the subject of political and military corruption, and the punchline-heavy head-nodder “Get A Hit.” The hidden masterpiece here is “IAM (Impressions And Memories),” with a beat that evokes the genius of J-Dilla, and lyrics which show a deep understanding of hip hop and rap’s fundamental ingredients. Sippin’ Music’s best quality is its ability to show off a new style on each track, no two songs sound the same. Cancer Rising introduced itself to Seattle with this record, and immediately cemented its status as one of the most relevant and creative acts to come from the 206. (Written by Novocaine132.)

Sippin' Music was created in and features appearances from:

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Ear Protection

Rebelz are three members, Justin Murta, Christopher Webb, and Darius “Professor Icee” Green. The group’s debut Ear Protection in 2002 is an earnest effort to tackle current events, politics, youthful angst, and the myriad issues facing society. For instance, “But I gotta protest that which I detest, I might just ask why the f*** should I be righteous,” from “Shame Train.”

“Til The World Endz” begins with a soundbite from a paranoid Islamophobic preacher, and the lyrics relate to Armageddon and the end of the world. “Solar flares, meteors track and impact the surface, continually bombarding souls, four horsemen riding on innocent fools.” Rebelz take it to the Land of the Rising Sun on the Japanese-language track “Kinjisuten” which Google clumsily tells me is a phrase meaning “approximate stainless.” This must be a case of something getting lost in the translation. “Limited Senses” continues the earnest themes of the album. “I don’t need guns or flames to convert all the peoples, in the eyes of Jah we are all equal.”

My favorite cut on the album is “Rebelz Are Back.” Many of the tracks on Ear Protection get lost in their self-seriousness and pedantry. This is not necessarily a bad thing as I’m all for intellectual explorations, but rap needs to be fun too, not just a classroom experience. “Rebelz Are Back” takes a break from the self awareness, and because it does it’s an excellent track. The twangy beat is addictive from the first few seconds, and the lyrics let you turn off your brain. “First class Unabomber style with the word blast, ya heard that? Throw up your fists I’ll throw a bird back.” There’s even another verse in Japanese to chew on. Did I mention that the album is earnest? Written by Novocaine132

Ear Protection was created in and features appearances from:

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