Hop Hop Hoodíos on NPR
The band is interviewed by NPR's Maria Hinojosa in the last segment on this week's Latino USA show. Nice introduction to the band, and some nice clips. These guys are my favorite Jewish hip hop band, obviously.
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The band is interviewed by NPR's Maria Hinojosa in the last segment on this week's Latino USA show. Nice introduction to the band, and some nice clips. These guys are my favorite Jewish hip hop band, obviously.
Comments
Why, you don't like the Beastie Boys?
Posted by: Yaron | June 23, 2003 5:12 PM
I don't know that I don't like the Beastie Boys--I don't think I've ever heard any of their music (except for a rather mangled anti-Iraq war thing that was good in intention, but felt weak, to me, lyrically, and not particularly interesting musically). But I also don't know of any particular connection between the Beastie Boys and the coincidence that they are Jewish to Jewish music.
On the other hand, if you know otherwise, enlighten me!
Posted by: Ari Davidow | June 23, 2003 5:18 PM
Yeah, all their really good music was made in the early 90's, the recent stuff doesn't do any credit to them.
If you're implying that they don't count as a Jewish band but rather a band whose members happen to be Jewish, then that's valid. If that is what you're implying.
Posted by: Yaron | June 24, 2003 5:22 PM
Yes, I think we're in agreement. I don't think of the Beastie Boys when I think of Jewish music. I do think of them as a band whose members happen to be Jewish, just like at least one member of Kiss is Jewish (Israeli, even), but I don't think of Kiss as a Jewish band.
If there's something by the Beastie Boys that you think I should hear just to hear great rap, though, then I'm all ears. And if there are songs that touch on their Jewish identity, I'd be curious to hear those, too.
Posted by: Ari Davidow | June 24, 2003 6:50 PM
I'm really no huge fans of theirs, but songs like "Watcha Want" and "Pass the Mic" (both off Check Your Head, I think), can make the party come correct.
I wasn't aware of any deliberate Jewishness to their act. A simple web search reveals this, though:
http://www.beastiemania.com/whois/three_bad_jewish_brothers/
Very curious.
Posted by: Yaron | June 27, 2003 12:14 PM
Interesting. But if you listen to the Hip Hop Hoodios (about whom I wrote, to which you responded with these comments) I think you'll dig why I'm excited about them. In that context, I'm not convinced yet that the Beastie Boys are other than a novelty act. But I'll do some listening now.
http://www.hoodios.com/
Posted by: Ari Davidow | June 27, 2003 12:43 PM