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Great moments in space rap · by Sach O
SPACE! How low can you go?
Space rap. It’s rap. About stuff that happens in space. Pretty simple, but sadly like most ludicrous experiments in next shit, it was doomed from the get-go. No matter how you slice it, there’s no way to market sci-fi allegories about urban alienation to a wider audience caught in the grip of Nelly. For a minute though it was all the rage: back when the Ruff Ryders ruled BET you couldn’t hit up the internet for rap reviews without reading about how MC such and such was using experimental production and CPU references in his “slept-on classic”. All jokes aside, some of these records were pretty dope and still stand as interesting examples of how far rap can go. Sadly, the answer is still “rap can go a little too far homie”. So sit back, smoke some dust and enjoy the best that sci-fi influenced Hip Hop has to offer. I may clown on these tracks a bit, but it’s out of affection.
Dr Octagon – Earth People
Kool Keith was spaced out since 86 but thanks to Automator’s beats, Q-Bert’s scratches and (one assumes) a whole lot of drugs, he can also claim credit for kicking off space rap 10 years later. Earth People’s synth-n-808 driven beat sounded like an out of tune Dr Dre imitation and Kool Keith’s lyrics about psychedelic skin, identification codes and androids were enough to empty even the most progressive dance floor. In one fell swoop the nerds had rap to call their own, the cool kids had something to hate on and Kool Keith had enough net-cred to release half a dozen more albums. Extra bonus points for the chorus which pisses on the whole Eastcoast-Westcoast beef in favor of the rap mecca that is Jupiter.
Cannibal Ox – Iron Galaxy
Cannibal Ox’s anime and comic book obsessions were never as cool as Wu-Tang’s John Woo and Shaw Brothers jones but they still made for an ill record. The introductory Iron Galaxy was as epic as rap ever got with huge drums, atmospheric keys and industrial percussion pissing off traditionalists and confusing the Rawkus crowd. Meanwhile Vast Aire and Vordul managed to make crack-rap geeky by disguising it as overly emotional sci-fi talk. If anything, you got to give them props for sampling Transformers in reference to the Notorious Decepticon street gang.
Deltron 3030 – 3030
Political spaghetti western sampling space rap never really caught on, if only because the sub-genre name was too long to type out. That said, Automator’s post-Octagon project did feature one hell of an introduction rivaling Iron Galaxy for pure pompous extravagance. Del raps about being a mech soldier and other nerdy activities, but its really all about that huge fucking beat. The fact that everyone involved here would hit pop gold less than a year later as part of the Gorillaz makes this track even more surreal.
Viktor Vaughn – Lactose and Lecithin
Despite technically taking place on earth, Vaudeville Villain’s time-machine related antics and D&B influenced production earn Viktor Vaughn an honorary inclusion in the space rap hall of fame. Narrating a drug deal and police interrogation gone wrong, Lactose and Lecithin is proof positive that 9 out of 10 rap-shootings could be avoided if emcees made like Doom and carried their time gizmos on them at all times. Not a very good example of crack-rap no matter how you slice it though: who raps about getting ripped off by their Mexican connect?
Unkle feat Kool G Rap – Guns Blazing (Drums of Death, Pt. 1)
There’s something perversely entertaining about hearing Kool G Rap and DJ Shadow collaborate on the intro track to a UK scenester’s trip-hop concept album. Sure it’s technically gangster rap over a break beat but both of these guys probably knew that this wasn’t going to work out. It wasn’t for lack of trying though, the drums are hard and the rapping is anything but phoned in, but face it: Juice Crew emcees belong on the block, not the nether reaches of the galaxy. Still, I’d kill to hear a full length Octagon style spin off of this track: G Rap’s current fanbase would have a collective heart-attack.
Bonus: Jedi Mind Tricks – Communion: The Crop Circle Thesis
I actually haven’t heard this track in years; I just find it funny that someone would actually name a rap song “The Crop Circle Thesis”.
Comments for "Great moments in space rap"
no “space age pimpin”?
— noz Feb 8, 01:46 PM
I think “Livin’ Astro” is probably the osiris of this shit right here
— GentleWhoadie9000 Feb 8, 02:00 PM
Maaaaaaan.
http://www.philaflava.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66991
— BM Dawn Feb 8, 02:41 PM
ATLiens, man.
— eauhellzgnaw Feb 8, 04:07 PM
Thanks eauhell, I was going to say the same thing. About how about Kool Keith’s whole “Black Elvis/Lost in Space” album?
— DJ Flash Feb 8, 04:57 PM
One of my favorites is “Planets Ain’t Aligned” by Freestyle Fellowship. And I second the idea of a full length G Rap/Shadow spaced out collab.
— Kin Corn Karn Feb 8, 06:16 PM
awesome piece
— hoodie Feb 8, 06:18 PM
Can-o, yo!
— maalox Feb 8, 06:50 PM
Thanks for dissing my heroes…
— Jay Feb 9, 12:09 AM
thats really crazy, i have just been forced to scrap an iron galaxy line for line i have was working on for a week.
— abe beame Feb 9, 12:29 AM
Dope post but don’t forget about
MC Shan-’MC Space’,
Key-matic-’Breaking In Space’ and of course Newcleus- ‘Space is The Place’ because they were doing it way before the listed artists.
— Jaz Feb 9, 05:49 AM
I didn’t realize how much of a space-rap geek I was until I got to the bottom of this list and realized that I own all of these records – and played them each to death at one point in time.
Ill post as usual, Sacha…
— floodwatch Feb 9, 09:35 AM
Jaz: I was aware of all the other songs people listed but I need to hear those Newcleus and Key-matic joints. I was going for a sort of geeky late 90’s early 00’s vibe (hence no ATLiens, Eightball &MJG, No Limit) but there’s definitely enough jams for “oldschool” and “dirty south” editions.
abe beame: I am intrigued by this line for line.
— Sach Feb 9, 09:48 AM
earth people, ny and california
earth people, i was born on jupiter.
fucking Dr. Octagon had me twisted for like 2 yrs after i bought the import. I grabbed it for that “Waiting List” track, which has one of the eeriest, jazziest beats I had heard in a while.
YOU ENTA!
I got that CanOx LP for my birthday back when i used to smoke a lot of weed. I think Vast Aire is still a dope MC, but i’d like to hear him do some “muMs”-esque spoken word.
“Raspberry Fields” ftw
— khal Feb 9, 09:54 AM
you have to admit, though, that unkle album, and that deltron album were pretty amazing..
i think stuff like this helped get people like me into hip-hop actually.. several of the artists you mention here were some of the first that i got really into.
— jamie radford Feb 9, 12:14 PM
It’s true: if you threw in the Blackstar Album and the first two Kweli/Mos solo jaunts, this post could’ve been re-titled: what albums made college kids decide to like hip-hop in their dorm room their freshmen year of college while taking their first bong rip.
Fantastic post though. I can’t deny that I don’t love me all those albums.
— Jeff Feb 9, 02:42 PM
abe,
that’s weird. i was debating between “iron galaxy” and “scream phoenix”
— eauhellzgnaw Feb 9, 02:49 PM
^wait are you guys writing for us? that would be dope considering your user comments have amounted to a master’s thesis by now.
— R.H.S. Feb 9, 03:06 PM
Wasn’t Rafi supposed to write a line for line on Mr. Lif’s Iron Helix? That track is TOTALLY space rap.
Khal, Jamie, Jeff: I like all of these albums. It’s just funny to look back on how serious kids took them when they were first released on some “finally a rap album that SPEAKS TO ME” shit.
In retrospect they’re fun representations of an overly shitted on era in rap and they’re still pretty damn bumpable.
— Sach Feb 9, 03:18 PM
I’m debating, man. I can crank out comments with ease. A line for line would take a while.
Just in case, would a line for line on either of those Can Ox songs interest yall more than ones for say Nas’ “2nd Childhood” or the Juggaknots’”Loosifa” or Generally”?
— eauhellzgnaw Feb 9, 04:39 PM
just an aside, the best song on octagon was “3000” hands down. that shit ‘floated like gravity’
— drew Feb 9, 06:10 PM
There needs to be a post on non-geekys space rap: Kurupt, 8Ball and MJG, Keith Murray, Outkast, Digable Planets, Redman, X-Clan, etc.
— R.H.S. Feb 10, 01:47 PM
digable planets. They warholled that shit!
— chuckie chill Feb 11, 02:09 PM
i love space rap and the intellect it inspires.
— kaymel Feb 11, 04:09 PM
Now OhWord needs a blog entry on all the great moments in samurai rap, to make this whole thing a wrap.
— DJ Flash Feb 12, 09:32 PM