What concept would better suit this site than this compilation? Funky Buddah and the Basement crew decided there were enough connects and tracks to go around and bang out a compilation of tracks based on the trans Atlantic connection between France and the United States.
Ever since Rockin Squat's collaboration with Supernatural and IAM's hook up with Sunz of Men, and even before, European acts have been looking to work
with their American counterparts by collaborating whenever these artists visited the European continent or vice versa.
The Basement, as said, compiles some of the greatest French/American connections of the past few years and hosts a slew of new collaborations.
Basically connecting the American artist The Game, Mobb Deep & Alchemist, EPMD, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Rampage, Slum Village, Perverted Monks, Boot Camp Click, The Beatnuts, Royce Da 5'9" & Capadonna with their French counterparts
Rohff, 113, Shurik'n, Passi, Ärsenik, Don Choa, Mass, Jango Jack, Saïan Supa Crew, Rocca, MC Jean Gab'1, Dadoo, Acid & Rost results in a sometimes not so good representation of the American artists, and sometimes in great collaborations.
"Liberté" has Cappadonna sounding totally disinterested in leaving a good impression on his European fans, with Yan CK and l'ami TI (members of CMP Production's "Noir Sur Blanc") banging out some great verses. Is it laziness on Cappa's behalf or is it just lack of skills?
Erick Sermon, on the other hand, deliveres a huge banger with "Heeinn, Heeinn" which probably marks his best work since the release of his "Music" single a few years ago. The only stain on the flawless track would be Sermon's line "Sy and I, New York to Paris" which isn't all that bad, but Erick Sermon might try to be more carefull next time dropping the names of cities, with Shurik'n being from Marseille.
Somehow, someway, someone was able to find Flipmode's Rampage for a collabo with Fonky Family's Don Choa & Mass, which isn't all that bad but suffers hugely from a very weak hook and a tired title, "Everybody dance".
More often than not
the French artists blow past their American colleagues like on "Bring it back" where Rocca shows why the Beatnuts aren't really all that good on the mic. Likewise, Feniksi and Vicelow (OFX) put Afu-Ra to shame.
"Baby Girl", the Slum Village and Jango Jack hook up sounds like a great track with a typical Slum Village vibe and great vocals by Jango Jack. It's a shame Slum Village for the most part just recycle lyrics from their Detroit Deli album. You can't have it all, can you?
"Who is this" should have Hip Hop fans worldwide salvitating over the collaboration between the American and French veterans over e great Pete Rock production, the result is a great laid back Hip Hop track with very decent verse by all MC's.
The Ärsenik/PMD, 113/Mobb Deep, Jean Gab'1/Royce and Explicit Samuraï/BCC collaborations are great Hip Hop documents which should exchange some respect world wide and might put more American Hip Hop fans on to the French scene.
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