Keep your head up

Just when you thought hip hop was asleep, stagnant, and over hyped, one of the oldest bands in hip hop releases a CD (which you happen to acquire an advance copy of)- and you know what, it turns out to be amazing. True story.

But how this band chose to record this album is the real conundrum. They have been releasing albums ever since they came into the hip hop industry, and they're record over the years, in comparison to other artists, has been pretty good. So why did they decide to do something completely different from what they have done before. And specifically concerning the entities within the band, what input did they have individually and collectively on the album's makeup.
Before I had even digested the album, these questions started to intrigue me, and all this muddled mess led to was more questions, which I had enough time to ponder as I listened to the rest of the album.

The Beastie Boys are on the cusp of releasing their latest album, The Mix Up, which is a wholly instrumental offering from the forefathers of hip hop. You see where my curiosity is aroused now? I don't doubt that 3 MCs and 1 DJ can create an instrumental album, I just don't know if they can do a great job at it.

The Beastie Boys, however, set out to dismiss just this kind of notion. The boys have always covered their topics of choice in a very urban manner, and this partly, is their everlasting appeal. The Mix Up might be vastly different from other Beastie Boys' albums, but it holds true to their urban surroundings.

To me, the album speaks volumes in its silence. It is a silent track record to a passing world, perhaps the view of 4 guys that lived in the fast lane and are now pondering how they escaped unscathed. Or perhaps a rare chronicle of our times as seen by.. or perhaps its just a bunch of tunes. Any way you slice it, the Beastie Boys hit a home run with this release. The record sounds sad, upbeat and complicated all at the same time.

You should check it out, you'll find some gems in the album. peace.