Monday, February 20, 2006
When you're young, not much matters.
When I saw Kids for the first time, it brought images that forever changed my perception of New York City. It also opened up new doors regarding my images of sex, drugs, and the AIDS epidemic. I won't front...I mean, sometimes it takes a movie to bring out the realness that can't necessarily be portrayed in words, you know? I can't deny, this movie was really real.
Not to emphasize on pointless little details but rather to make the fact known, Harold Hunter is the second actor from this movie to pass away. Justin Pierce (aka Casper from the movie) hung himself six years ago. Harold (aka himself in the movie) succumbed to an overdose of cocaine at the age of thirty-two. It really is tragic. Some of my coworkers rolled with him and he seemed like a totally crazy but otherwise complete stand-up individual. I only met you once Harold, but you definitely were a dope kid. Rest in peace, man.
The Electric Co. - Respect Life (rapidshare link)
First got put onto this when I purchased Soul Supreme's The Saturday Nite Agenda upon the recommendation of a great guy named Pete (Mr. Pre-war bluesman; check under the "Anything Goes" links). The album ended up being one of my favorites of 2003, seeing that Soul Supreme made such dope beats and knew how to work with an eye-opening guest roster. Oh yeah, and another thing: he hadn't even turned 18 years old at the time of release. Not bad for a stellar debut.
The best song on the album, besides "Worst Nightmare" featuring O.C. and "Queen" featuring Pete Rock and A.G., was this nice little gem called "Respect Life". It would end up being one of the most memorable rap tracks of recent memory that really managed to stay positive without the excessive chewing of granola, or more so, irony to win over an entirely new crowd.
The last verse of the song continues to resonate for me, thanks to the splendid word weaving of a certain Boston-bred emcee who I'd later learn went by the name of Insight. The Electric Company Crew is his band of brothers, which also includes another great emcee named Dagha. To the best of my knowledge Insight is the only one to have released a solo album (Blast Radius--- cop it), but both he and Dagha have made a very clear blip on the underground circuit last year with their guest spots on Edan's critically acclaimed Beauty and the Beat album.
The track you just downloaded was eventually released on an EP called Life's A Struggle, released in 2004. It's okay. Definitely worth the purchase, seeing that it took me travelling across the country to find it. Clearly the best song continues to be "Respect Life". I upped the EP version since the version from Soul Supreme's album is more appropriated to the blaxploitation film gimmick Supreme has running all throughout, chock full of audio clips that aren't really distracting but could be ignored if needed. I felt this made it easier to work with.
It also is a good track to remember what you're here on this planet Earth for. Peace to another fallen soldier.
Cheers,
~*E*~
