Hip Hop was invented by white men with beards and sandles - Fact...

Firstly I would like to thank Mr Troublesome for his kind welcoming words, I’m truly touched (but you won’t be touching me again good sir. We were drunk, I was emotionally confused and you’re a date rapist…). However I must address the ‘elderly victims’ that were discussed by Sir Trouble. Those pair of centurion bastards tried to bum rush me for the last copy of Gardener’s World so I had to merk their asses – end of…

Right onto business…



'Twat', you were probably thinking after reading the title of this post, but I urge you dear reader, let your eyes scroll on and take in what I have to say - it'll either make you think, 'that boy might just be onto summat there' or just merely reiterate your initial thought…

In the interests of continuity I'm about to lace Ruffhousing with another Top 5. This particular Top 5 is a short explanation of a theory I have been bouncing around for a while - just as James Brown, The Last Poets etc and the urban melting pot that is NYC invented hip hop in the early 70s in the States, it was simultaneously invented in dear old Blighty by a munch of hirsute folk artists...

Right, so here goes my Top 5 reasons/songs/albums of the connection between British folk and hip hop…


1. Rain and Snow – Pentangle



This is the track that started it all off for me. Its all about the moment Terry Cox’s drums drop – they just straight bounce! Basically Pentangle are the seminal folk super group. Their line up of Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox is super dope, but you don’t give a fuck about all that folky guitar nonsense do you? No, probably not. But let me tell you about Danny Thompson and Terry Cox, their rhythm section. These boys were Brit jazz bad boys and Bert and John basically pissed of the whole Brit jazz scene by nicking them, but to what boom-bappin’ results! Man they lay down a groove and a half! They swing like monkeys hanging from nooses! Basically peep this track (it’s on a wicked album called Reflection) and try and stop your head from boppin’ when those drums drop. So there’s your beats…


2. Matty Groves – Fairport Convention



Story telling rhymes and violence are big in hip hop but they’ve been big in folk since the middle ages. This is like a folk ‘Children’s Story’ or ‘Love’s gonna get you (material love). Basically, young Matty has been nobbing Lord Donald’s wife and got busted – which is a bit like Jigga catching Bow Wow (fka Lil’ Bow Wow) with his dick all up inside Beyonce. Now Matty ain’t packin’ shit but a pocket knife while Lord Donald be rockin’ two long beaten swords. Instead of getting’ knee deep in some neck wettin’ your Lordship toss’s his best sword to Matty and let’s take the first blow! This doesn’t do shit and Lord Donald slays him where he stands – now that’s both noble and gangsta! Needless to say the woman concerned is a bit peeved at this so Lord Donald merks her ass too – pimpin’ ain’t easy yo! And all this song by Sandy Denny, the MC Lyte of the folk world! A true ghetto/rural story!

This track is available on what may be the all-time classic folk-rock album, Liege and Lief – every record collection should feature a copy. Oh and kick ass drums are featured throughout, especially on ‘Matty Groves’.


3. Sir James the Rose – Steeleye Span



I swear man, Run DMC should have covered this track! This is some proper folk-rock and once again with an utterly gangsta theme – the auburn haired Sir James has offed one of his noble homeboys and there’s a crew on his tale to deliver divine retribution. Guess who Sir James turns to first, one of his old bitches! But the slaughter posse catch up with his ass and stick his head on a spike. The lyrics are delivered from the point of view of the story-teller and Sir James himself, which would be perfect for Run and Daryl or a couple of Beastie Boys to trade-off with each other… And all this is told over some seriously block rocking beats – it seriously wouldn’t surprise me if a break from this track turned up in some unreleased Afrika Bambataa mix…Anyway, this track is on an album called Rocket Cottage (check the hilarious ‘take the title literally’ artwork) which also has a track with a sick drum, bass and violin loop – use it…




4. The Hunting Song – Pentangle



They’re just too dope, are old Pentangle, and this track is so sample-able it’s untrue. In fact UK producer Ghost used it on his debut but not before my brother (TimLowe – www.myspace.com/brummiebeats) had made a far superior version only for it never to see the light of day. Sinister bass, a guitar loop and Terry Cox’s funky drums make this track a proper gem - imagine Wu-Tang in Morris dancing cipher and you’re half-way there…Don’t really wanna go on about this track too much, check the video above recorded for the BBC. Oh, and it’s on an album called Basket of Light.

5. Comus



Well I’ve already mentioned violence but what lies on Comus’s debut album is some Grave Diggaz ultra gore violence shit! A bit like Necro with a Lute…For instance, here is the first verse of the track ‘Drip Drip’ –

You dangling swinging
Hanging, spinning, aftermath
Your soft white flesh turns past me slaked with blood
Your evil eyes more damning than a demon's curse
Your lovely body soon caked with mud
As I carry you to your grave my arms your hearse
You stand before me defenceless
Your stare unchanging silent, cold, intense sears my brain


I don’t think I need say much more…Its just straight gore delivered mover some haunting, tribal folk backing with all kinds or eerie flutes, female backing vocals, spooky violin etc thrown into the mix. The album is called First Utterance and it’s the least funky but most scary of this Top 5 – check it if you’ve got the minerals…


So there you go…check these tracks/albums out and either think I listen to some gay folk, or enjoy the hip hop undertones which a smug ‘we invented these steez time ago’ smile on your face. British folk and hip hop – one and the same mate…no wonder Task Force came out with the Voice of the Great Outdoors EP, all that pixie shit was in their veins…

STYLEZ OUT