Whenever the “west coast” is brought up in Hip Hop and in particular, about the Bay area, vivid images of chromed-out scrapers, thizz faces and endless weed smoke come to mind. Truth be told, the association of the aforementioned term with the pimp lifestyle is one that cannot be denied and the sub-genre remains an influential aspect of this urban culture. With that that being said, will there ever be a way for talented emcees, deejays and producers from that region to break the mold, showcase a different style and still be accepted by fans of the Yay?
San Francisco’s Above Ave. is a relatively young group (i.e., M.C., FrontLYne, BB, Anon.ymous and UFO) that is intent on bringing hope and consciousness to the rap game without denying their allegiance to their east Bay locale. Their particular brand of music is neither mired in “hood playaisms” nor bogged down with tales of greed and violence that are prevalent in contemporary Yay Area funk. Blending golden era-style rapping with new school beats (provided by up-and-comers Illmind [click to read] and Mr. Porter [click to read]), their debut album, Mission, is sure to please heads who want to hear uplifting music that balances social concerns with group’s strong desire to succeed beyond their wildest dreams.
For example, take Above Ave.‘s “Keep the Faith.” Utilizing a recognizable Curtis Mayfield sample, this particularly touching song exemplifies the group’s earnest desire for positive change yet shows their patient acceptance of the struggles involved in living day-to-day for most people in the ghetto. As one of the rappers eloquently states, “it’s a cold world we livin’ in/Gats, drug dealin’ it/Money be the rhythm, keep the faith and don’t be givin’ in.” Another stellar track, “M.O.E. (Money Over Everything)”, features San Fran cohort San Quinn [click to read] and their vocal chemistry provides enough sobering advice about the pitfalls of pecuniary success in the midst of the worst financial crisis the world has ever seen. Other standouts on Mission include “Love (’79)”, an earnest love letter to Hip Hop, “Don’t Be Hard On Yourself,” an encouraging tale of loss and redemption and “Imagine (Revisited)” (Featuring D’Angelo), an eloquent plea to keep John Lennon/Martin Luther King, Jr.‘s dream of hope and brotherhood alive in ’08.
Like all new groups worthy of attention, the five-person crew could benefit from a couple of suggestions. For example, take the commonly misaligned practice of rappers singing the hooks or somehow attempting to sound melodically playful in their rhymes. This is all well and good if the singular voices of Above Ave. were up to the task but on some of songs it only shows their lack of range (and subsequently, lack of vocal training). “I Won’t Lose” is a track on the album that is stylistically dope but burdened by an annoying hook. Another thing that might help the group in the future is to have BB, the lone female emcee (and Angie Martinez doppelganger), contribute a few more verses on their songs. Her calming presence is a perfect balance to the onslaught of male vocal energy and helps to soften their message a great deal.
On their first full-length, Mission, the Bay Area collective known as Above Ave. are attempting to shift the paradigm of street slangin’ unfairly associated with the music of their hometown. Armed with youthful optimism, the group’s utilization of consciousness creativity to handle the challenges of hood life is a refreshing change from all the gun talk, drug dealing and pimping we’re used to listening to as fans of this sub-genre. The future appears looming for Above Ave. and the San Francisco group’s funk-filled brand of hopeful Hip Hop might just be one Mission worth accomplishing.
everso fresh! 5 star! peace.