BEST NEW MUSIC: DJ SHADOW - ROCKET FUEL (FEAT. DE LA SOUL)

I may be in the relative minority here, but as the writer on this website my opinion counts for double, so when I say that DJ Shadow had the song of the summer three years ago with “Nobody Speak,” his track with Run the Jewels, you must take my statement for more than any random guy off the street. I’m a random guy with credentials. 

If you aren’t familiar with DJ Shadow, this is as good a place as any to start. But beep beep, let’s back the truck up even further. The year is 1996 and Shadow’s Entroducting..… album pioneers the blending of hip hop and electronica to go on to become one of the quintessential dance music records of all time. Now, Shadow would be grouped in with instrumental hip-hop producers and beatmakers ala the Soulection crew, but by this day and age he has transcended any of that genre/collective hooha to be his own hero in the scene. 

DJ SHADOW - ROCKET FUEL (FEAT. DE LA SOUL)

“Rocket Fuel” is a horn-and-scratch-driven hip-hop tune that is funky as hell from a couple of dudes who have been doing the damn thing for nearly 25 years. The track features De La Soul on possible their most significant verses since “Me, Myself and I.”  Sure, the New York trio have a throwback flow, but the early nineties are huge right now. This isn’t capitalizing on your nostalgia, it’s a revamped version of it, ready to take on every party this side of the future line.  \

Shadow’s production is as current as any hip-hop tune out there.  It’s on us, the fans, to embrace this very modern throwback jam and play it over and over again to remind people of what hip-hop has the potential to be. 

I don’t know about you, but this one might just be my song of the summer all over again. 

From deep within the murky depths of the Los Angeles River emerged a creature: 50% raver, 50% comedian, 10% Robotcop. Kurt Kroeber doesn’t own a dog, operates Soundbleed (the world’s only dance party comedy talk show rave), and is down to party with you. Come up some time and say “Hey dude!” But definitely make sure to casually drop the secret Illuminati password.