Adam Matta Exemplifies Creative Cross-Genre Collaboration
Every time the topic of country rap is broached, accusations fly that people who oppose the emerging sub-genre are simply opposed to country music evolving. But songs like Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” and Blake Shelton’s “Boys ‘Round Here” would be bad even if the verses were sung instead of rapped. The vast majority of country rap is garbage to begin with because its aim is either strictly commercial, or it is a cry for relevancy from an aging artist. Trying to mix two forms of music that are naturally foreign to each other just makes the offense that much worse.
But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to mix elements of American roots music with elements of hip-hop and end up with something that is an honest artistic expression, full of creativity and respect for both art forms; something that can entertain a wide audience not by appealing to the lowest common denominator, but by offering an inspiring demonstration of talent.
Enter Adam Matta, an extraordinary and gifted old-school beat boxer who skills downright defy comprehension. Even better, Adam Matta is enthralled by the art of collaboration, including working with roots musicians. Over the years, Matta has lent his talents to the Grammy-nominated Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Wiyos, and the rootsy sound composer Sxip Shirey to name a few.
Adam Matta is just one example of a positive collaboration between the country and hip hop world. Others like to cite the bluegrass and dance beat-melding Ganstagrass. Beck has done some interesting things in the genre-bending realm that still treat the music with respect. And the Carolina Chocolate Drops even without Adam Matta have dabbled in blending music from the traditionally black and white worlds for years.
So when someone accuses you of being closed-minded to country rap or to country music evolving, give them a snoot full of Adam Matta as an example of cross-genre collaboration done right.
(Adam Matta appears on the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ song “Country Girl” off the album “Leaving Eden,” and The Wiyos album “Twist.”)
May 21, 2013 @ 11:42 am
http://youtu.be/9wyyVh3uc5Y
May 21, 2013 @ 11:46 am
Yeah, it’s not bad when they’re basically, beat boxing, scattin’, and eefin’, it’s when the Nashville “gangstas” start adding their shitty attempts at lyrics, that it all goes to hell.
May 21, 2013 @ 12:15 pm
If you’re gonna talk about Gangstagrass and Country Rap that doesn’t suck, you gotta talk about B Star and Rench. Also, Ridley Bent, who is Corb Lund approved. And nice Beck shout-out, because he’s one of the dudes that can pull it off.
May 21, 2013 @ 1:08 pm
that Gangstagrass shit is terrible…
May 21, 2013 @ 3:32 pm
I’m not really a fan, (except maybe for the Justified theme) but Trigger mentioned them. The other guys I mentioned have a couple of interesting songs, songs that are honest about what they’re trying to do and trying to do right but their influences. I remain convinced that country rap isn’t inherently bad and is probably doable.
May 21, 2013 @ 3:40 pm
My stance on Gangstagrass remains that they are more of a mashup studio project than a true artistic collaboration. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with studio mashups, but that is not necessarily what I am going for here. The reason I mentioned it is because every time the subject of country rap comes up, I get asked at least twice if I’ve ever heard Gangstagrass. It speaks to a lot of people, for whatever that is worth.
May 22, 2013 @ 10:26 am
As questionable as Gangstagrass is, they will never be as bad as the Groovegrass Boyz, which the Americana show on my local NPR station seemed to enjoy playing every week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8270oRNp4s
May 23, 2013 @ 10:10 am
Wow that Groovegrass Boyz thing is fucking bloody awful… my ears are bleeding.
May 22, 2013 @ 5:43 pm
I would say that if they used a real drum set rather than the synth beats then it would sound like less of a mash up. I like the synth bass sound but on every song it does give it that mash up sound you’re talking about. With a real kit it would have the groove without as much of the gimmick.
May 23, 2013 @ 8:59 am
Trigger —
You are incorrect in stating that Gangstagrass is a studio mashup. It’s a live bluegrass band, not a mixtape production. You may have only heard their first self-titled album, unavailable now, which was a studio mashup / mixtape thing, but they have two full length CD’s to date which are all full band bluegrass with live MC’s and either in-person DJ or beats made on the fly (with foot pedals) by the guitar player/producer.
It’s not for everyone, but it’s more then a studio mashup or mixtape dance production. It’s sincere live bluegrass with MC’s working over it. At their live shows, the MC’s improvise totally different verses each pass through; they never play the same tune the same way twice. It’s real hip-hop and it’s real bluegrass.
May 23, 2013 @ 10:24 am
I never said that a live bluegrass band wasn’t used. Calling it a mashup was more a description on the style of the music, how it is made to be dance/electronic music and is pushed through those circles. Many times those projects work in the same way, where they overlay two distinct layers of music on top of each other, instead of both styles being interwoven. And I’m not saying that is necessarily a bad thing, but I think it is different then let’s say, what The Wiyos are doing. I’m not opposed to Gangstagrass. I did listen intently to the first album, and honestly did not feel it was anything that I felt inspired to review. I’m not opposed to reviewing or covering Gangstagrass in the future.
May 22, 2013 @ 10:19 am
Yeah… couldn’t make it more than thirty seconds into any of these.
May 22, 2013 @ 5:54 pm
Here’s how I see it: country and rap are a lot closer than fans of both like to think. Both are products of working class people. Both have roots in blues, gospel, jazz, R&B, and other “American” genres.
Now I know a lot of people like to say “but rap is all violence, and materialism, and disrespect to women” but that is a product of the mainstream more than anything (that’s not to say its absent outside of the mainstream because as a genre it is more acceptable). Honestly is the pop country on the radio much better? Now once you get outside of the mainstream you get stories of poverty, success and failure, drinking, drug use, love, heartbreak, depression, family, crime. A lot of the same themes you get in a single Hellbound Glory album, let alone country music as a whole.
Sonically, the genres couldn’t be further apart but in terms of themes, and history, they are both at least cousins.
May 23, 2013 @ 10:12 am
Seth — did you know that Rench (of B-Star) is the person behind Gangstagrass? I like the B-Star stuff more as well, but Gangstagrass live is basically the same sound as the old B-Star stuff, with Rench on guitar, beats, and singing.
May 23, 2013 @ 12:12 pm
Yeah, I saw it on his website. Like you, I prefer the old B Star stuff. I think country rap is one of those things everyone is trying to figure out, and eventually someone is going to do a song that is unconditionally good and we’ll all go, “ahh, so THAT’S how you do it.” I do know that Jason Aldean, or Colt Ford or the like ain’t it though.