What would OutKast melded with Little Brother with a touch of UGK tossed in the mix sound like pumping through DLS subwoofers knocking in the back of a candy painted classic Cutlass? Possibly, Hueston Independent Spit District (H.I.S.D.). The four-man lyrical squadron rides through a sonic time warp on their Peace Uv Mine-released album, The WeakEnd, embodying common man sensibilities, embracing the colorful, syrup sipping culture most associated with their hometown of Houston, Texas. Equality, LDA Voice, Scottie Spitten and Savvi Poindexter sound hell-bent on delivering ample amounts of electric relaxation to the often redundant Raposphere, and largely, they accomplish their mission.
For the uninitiated, “Autobahn” serves as the group’s proper introduction as each member kicks cypher rhymes over King Midas’ highway-ready, soul-sampled loop and layered intonations. “The Hue (Seen Green)” feels Organized Noize-inspired, with big-band funky horns and angelic choirs and sick scratches that seem to always cut in right on time, literally painting colors with sounds. It’s sublime, really. Just like subtle flutes and hopping snare on “Lando,” H.I.S.D.’s ode to rocking the flyest of wears. “Young boy got swag / But how’s he breathe in those pants? / Graduate to a man,” raps Equality, breaking down what it takes to “Get your Space Up because “swag” is so old.” The freshest part of that song, and suitably the group as a whole, is the paradoxical styles of each member. Savvi “drops $10 [dollars] on a seamstress” while Scottie Spitten cleans his kicks with a toothbrush “so they shine from a distance.” Equality approaches the track off-kilter from an Andre 3000-esque angle while LDA Voice drives straight through more King Midas goodness. Throughout The WeakEnd, all four display their own individuality, always adding contextual layers to each concept.
The Earth, Wind & Fire (“Bejo”) sampled “SheetRock” offers slick wordplay for the ladies. “Rock hard / Oh Lord / Check the Devil / Ate her treble / Renovate her walls til the sheet rock falls / House calls…Nice to freak ya,” spits Equality over the thumbing bass line. “Rockin aka Space UP!” offers something for everyone over hopping flutes and crashing snares, and is arguably the first instance where all members deliver a quality verses on the same song, finally crafting the perfect blend of beats and rhymes hoped for as soon as album opener “Come Out And Play” sets in like purple kush.
That’s really the biggest qualm with The WeakEnd, the soundscape is more visceral than the stanzas. Judging from the insert credits that come with the physical CD, presumably the album is some sort of loose concept record where HISD is rolling in Savvi’s truck through downtown H-Town, stumble into some sort of uprising and eventually time travel to another dimension — Space City — where they encounter various obstacles and characters. But none of that is effectively represented in the narratives. None of the dots are effectively connected in the songs. The story is abstract and the rhymes are average.
“He is Shawn Marion / We shine with the Sun,” spits Scottie Spitten on “Autobahn”, using either an old or poor metaphor for the former Phoenix Suns now Dallas Mavericks Small Forward. “We back and forth like the hand on a clock there,” says LDA Voice on “Cranberry”, falling forty-yards short of nailing the simile. Outside of the of the anthemic hooks, The WeakEnd is woefully short on memorable bars. The production travels at light speeds while the rhymes, at least those delivered by two-fourths of H.I.S.D., sputter in comparison. No member is completely suspect. No member outshines King Midas, who placed his golden arrangements on every track except “Crazy Legz” (produced by E. Classic). From the rhymes alone, it’s nearly impossible to actually visualize the intergalactic excursion the group ventures down. But it’s absolutely evident in the production. Sneaky trumpets and blippy, electronic intonations and angelic choirs diced all over the omnipresent boom-baps and high hats combine lovely, forming a beautiful mosaic with underwhelming narration. At times it feels like there are too many Big Poohs, not enough Big Bois and not one close to Andre — even if Equality kind of sounds like he’s trying to sound like Andre 3000.
But even with this disparity, The WeakEnd is a progressive LP loaded with Outkast-type eclecticism and Little Brother-relateability. Savvi and Equality are talented enough to maintain interest. Scottie Spitten and LDA Voice are at least unoffensive enough to not impede on King Midas’ (along with E. Classic and DJ Cozmos) layered, kaleidoscope of sonic brilliance. Unquestionably, this project is stronger as a whole rather than track for individual track, encouraging frequent spins, somehow still loaded with replay value. More than anything else, H.I.S.D. sounds like it might have it’s own sound, and in Hip Hop, that’s 87% of the battle.
this is some good quality music! jammin
alright
it was alright
Received word on these cats through a Ali Shaheed and ?usetlove. I was not disappointed. You have to be a nerd to understand their lingo. Album is great!
One of the best albums I’ve heard in a long time
great to see GROUPS in the me, me, me, me era. Salute.
Shit review as are most on this site. Arguably the best of the year.
THIS ALBUM IS DOPETASTIC
It´s a fantastic Album. I love the Music of H.I.S.D., The District and Summer Session EP too. And i have the limited Edition 2LP on Vinyl (Yeah) – Only 500 Copies Worldwide.
Damn, someone should slap me because I’m from Texas and I never heard of this group. How long have they been active? But from this review, it sounds like something worth checking out. Thanks HHDX.
These dudes have been putting down for a few years now..If you like this album you really need to check for the first joint also.. ‘The District”
Not a bad Review, you make some valid points and I do stress the word some. I don’t feel you on the Phoo comparison at all lol not even close… If you are going to quote sub par bars then at least get them right so they don’t sound as wack as your trying to make them. He is Shawn Marion / We shine with the Sun, does sound dumb, but what he said was “Your Heat is Shawn Marion, We Shine with the Sun,†Heat is music, as in man H.I.S.D. got some heat. Shawn Marion was wack as hell when he played for the Miami Heat Thus, Your heat is Shawn Marion. Not wack at all just went way over your head… Space UP. And what’s up with people wanting a million skits and people talking on the record about what the concept is, its about the music. Read the storyline and you can see that each song has a meaning in the story. I thought the cool thing about the songs not being so concept driven in a literal sense is that you can play each song by its self and still get the song without needing to hear them all together. I love the LP and I get it! You may need to Space Up to truly understand the greatness of The Weakend.
Thanks for the comment. I think the point is is the same, but a misquote is a misquote. I appreciate you pointing that out. Oh, and to clarify, the big pooh comment isn’t an insult.
the weakend is dope and one of the best hip hop albums I’ve heard in a long time!
I’m from Germany and not so deep into their language to understand all of what they are talkin about – but the fresh sounds and samples convince more than enuff! I hope to hear a whole lot more of H.I.S.D. in the future!
Dude, your review started off well until you started quoting verses, then u lost all cred. It’s very important as a journalist that you have your facts str8 because you can leave the wrong impression on people. So here are the proper lyrics.
1. SheetRock, the proper lyrics for Equality’s verse is: “Rock Hard/oh lord/check the level/ate her tremble/renovate her walls.
2. Autobahn, The correct lyrics for Scottie Spitten’s Verse is “Ya heat is Shawn Marion /We shine with the Sun,â€
3. Cranberry The correct lyrics for Ldavoice’s verse is “But i still wont damage the groove here/We back and forth like the hand on a clock dear/two step in the pocket/â€
And bytheway, don’t retract what you said, “there are too many Big Poohs, not enough Big Bois and not one close to Andre.” That’s clearly a diss.
Glad to see these guys get some publicity. Whether the writer had the lyrics wrong or not.
I saw the Ali Shaheed interview a while back. He struggled to remember their names, yet tried so hard to remember it just to let folks know. That right there is what made me cop the album and im glad i did.
I think todays problem is, everyone seems to be looking for that “star” rapper. Well, theres no specific star in the group. Each emcee brings their own style to the pot and it mixes well like your granny’s gumbo.
You’re right about one thing, though. The production on the album is GREAT! I think the producers did very well. The Big Pooh comment is a low blow, though. LOL The real heads know what you mean when you say that.
Again, theres no star in the group.
Half of 2
“Each emcee brings their own style to the pot and it mixes well like your granny’s gumbo.”
I couldn’t agree more. “Sum is greater than the whole” groups aren’t recognized nearly as much as maybe they should be. Being able to rock with each other while rocking with production is a talent most crews never develop. The WeakEnd is loaded with replay value partly because, as you said, their styles mix as well as granny’s gumbo.
Thanks for the comment.
glad to see these new dudes get some exposure. the review was pretty on point. good listen. not great, but good.
It was cool I quess.
i concur this album said by ali best 5 dollars he ever spent and lyrics like scottie p said not high just flyer then u which means go deeper into the music at the end of the album they say open your eyes !!!!open your eyes marvin gay ish search deeper ie.. out cast the roots tribe the fugie’s Dela soul talib mosDef search find and space up or space out.fyi these Mc’s have masters mumm interesting? and the atack on scottie spittin is the wrong guy to if im not mistakin i think its in communications and i belive also theres a manual on spacein up pick up the phone and call the dudes and talk to them you be learn something thats what i did are radio fans loved them Krcl90.9 mad love from the park city home of world famouse sundance film fest cant wait to see the movie fellas oh yeah theres a movie comeing. space up
On the cool, i just listen to the weakend again and man… the mc’s be going in!!! It must be going over ones head for them not to see that. but to each his own, some just like to be spoon fed everything these days. Space UP
like realy this album is crazy dope im at alost for words.thie album makes feel like when herd outcast and tribe for the frist time im a true fan production and the mc’s are going hard ever one aint going to gett it but i did lol and keep push that heat true music fans will get it and understand im i have offcaily spaced up thanks jay
real solid
dope album
Hisd creativety is all the way space up! I’m at a interesting hue level because of The Weakend experience. Loving it! do u
Best album last year. A truly original(good) hiphop album is hard to find in this mature state of hiphop were most of everything has been tried. It totally works as an album and it’s not just the divine beats. We’re judging the whole album as a piece of art here not as separate songs or verses so the rating should be higher.
BTW you can check it out for free on their site http://hisd.peaceuvmine.com/album/hisd-the-weakend .
They can rhyme, but its not that great! People are jus excited they see something they know. Im frm houston this project is aight. There is alot more out there in houston.
after more listens…still feel the same.
ont for get they just geting started 3 project and this kind of energy space up or space out
Over all good exposure for the group regardless of the positive/negative comments. Main problem with the article or someone just not getting it is trying to label or define this group. These guys NEVER said they were trying to be BIG POOH, Andre 3000 or Big Boi. Let’s embrace something different. Ali Shaheed and ?uestlove can’t both be wrong.
***** for the album
All press is good press remember that guys it gets people talking.
H.I.S.D. (Hueston Independent Spit District)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3uVyerxqbg&feature=related Spaced UP rockin aka space up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3uVyerxqbg
dope
this album is sick man!
album is clean & real music
yo H.I.S.D will be at sxsw in austin tx on march 17 at beso cantina rapperiknow.com event check there stage it fresh as hell just blaze ,tonga morgan, radio galaxy, danny brown, and more