Caveman Theory – The Stone Quartet
posted on Aug 24, 2007
Caveman Theory – The Misses
Caveman Theory – Sunraised
Caveman Theory
The Stone Quartet
Break’n Records – 2007
With rap fixated on drug dealers and ringtones, it’s never been harder for an underground act to break out and find an audience. Godamus Rhyme, Redd Simpkins, Kap and DJ Dolo, collectively known as Caveman Theory, are the newest true-school contenders demanding your attention in a crowded marketplace. This multi-regional crew hailing from Maryland, Florida and Washington State ignore current trends in Hip Hop, positioning themselves as the successors to the late 90’s backpack scene, for better or for worse.
Drawing on the laid back abstract vibe perfected by A Tribe Called Quest and Souls of Mischief, there’s quite a lot to enjoy on The Stone Quartet. Smooth tracks like “Friends F-ck” and “Sunraised” are perfect for late night smoking sessions and long drives thanks to Godamus’ head-nod inducing beats and Simpkins’ metaphor heavy rhymes. Aptly examining every day life, relationships and the art of rapping, the crew’s down to earth approach is a breath of fresh air in a scene dominated by technical wizardry and nerdy complexity. Elsewhere, Caveman Theory take on everything from politics to poverty all while avoiding the preachy tendencies of some of their contemporaries. Wisely, the group offsets their pensive rhymes and mellow beats with infectious road-tested hooks sure to get any crowd jumping. With so many underground emcees straying towards pedantic “conscious” rhymes over sleepy beats, it’s refreshing to hear boom-bap dinosaurs that remember that the Native Tongues had fun on wax.
The group half-steps on their harder edged material however. Whether it’s overly sparse production on “Step Right” or the clichéd complaints on “Don’t Violate”, the crew seems ill at ease on the rugged tip. Also, while admirable, Caveman’s wordy lyricism occasionally obscures their songwriting, burying their intent in a torrent of similes and wordplay. While the throwback approach is appreciated, this adherence to some of the less fondly remembered elements of the late 90’s white label scene can make the group seem…prehistoric.
Missteps aside, Caveman Theory have put together a well rounded debut highlighting their reflective version of traditional boom-bap. While no one will confuse The Stone Quartet with a party album or the hardest release on the block, those looking for beats rhymes and life will be well rewarded. With their debut laying a solid foundation, Caveman Theory is in the position to build on this release’s success and won’t be going extinct any time soon.
Comments for "Caveman Theory – The Stone Quartet"
I love this album! If you want to check it out for yourself just copy and paste the link I provided and you can sample the sounds. If you love the true “Boom Bap” I know you will love this album.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/cavemantheory
— JimNastics May 19, 01:38 AM
Will check out this album.
— afroman Nov 10, 10:24 AM
I was kickin it with kap and red recently at grindtime’s battle of the bay 3. kap actually judged some of the battles… cool folks, raw bumps. Like shaving with an old razor… shits rough.
paz
— psyde fx Mar 10, 05:07 AM