New Rhymefest - "Bring It Back" and "Real Nigga Quotes"

Download: Rhymefest - "Real Nigga Quotes"
Download: Rhymefest - "Bring it Back" (both via Fake Shore Drive

Two new tracks from Chicago-based rapper's Rhymefest's long-in-the-making El Che have come to light, in rather sordid fashion. Fake Shore has all the details, but here's a summary: dude stole Rhymefest iPod, and, because of his supposed lack of prolific output(where was he for this?), he's going to release a track every week until he gets some answers, or at least a single/video. Yikes. Read the manifesto-of-sorts here.

Despite the not-so-cool way these tracks were obtained, the tracks themselves are absolutely stellar. "Bring It Back" coasts on by on a breezy beat produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff. The song itself is a reflective look at a time when hip-hop was supposedly more substantial. The vibe of the track itself is not unlike Jazzy Jeff's "Summertime", or a vintage Tribe Called Quest jam. Oddly enough, the waxing nostalgic is not unlike fellow Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco's "Hip-Hop Saved My Life". The second track, however, is furious. "Real Nigga Quotes" is, simply put, a track that confirms that Public Enemy's legacy is still alive and well. Using famous quotes from throughout history (everyone from Malcolm X to Dave Chappelle), 'Fest spits some serious truth about today's political landscape, even casting Barack Obama in a harsh light. (Does this mean 'Fest still supports him?"). If these tracks are any indication of what El Che is like, then this record is the Nevermind to Blue Collar's Bleach. That's saying something.

Listen to the two songs at the top of the post. Thanks again to Fake Shore Drive.

Rhymefest MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)