Back in the ’90s amongst all the other rap artists of the day that were flooding the airways like Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop, and Public Enemy, Godfather Don released what some might consider an underground, east coast hip hop classic, Hazardous. That recording has grown in popularity over the years and it even saw a repressing on vinyl in 2022 over 30 years after its original release. It highlights his rap skills, sampling and his own prowess on what might have been his brother’s Stratocaster. Yep, he did rip a classic guitar riff on that record!
Even though he didn’t start out his musical career as a rapper, his lyrical contributions are what set him apart to this day. According to Unkut, “My thing was technical, esoteric, occult references – you could call it avant-garde, Free Jazz Rap.” GFD seems more concerned with free expression when it comes to his own musical recordings. He even went so far as to take a change of pace from his rap roots to pick up the saxophone and join The Open Mind, a jazz band. This Flatbush local is a true renaissance man.
Hindsight is 20-20, and many recent recordings are waking peeps back up to GFD’s lyrical creations. In 2018, the Spastiks released Godfather Don Remixes, an obvious payment of respect. Those reworkings display his catalog and what the Godfather did so well with his own style. But, it also showcased the Spastiks ability to bring their own knowledge to morph these tracks into something sweet. Then in 2020, Parental beamed across the Atlantic to attract GFD to add his unique vocal rhymes atop the Frenchman’s musical productions on Osmosis. On that recording, we are introduced to a vocal method that matches the downbeat, jazz sound so characteristic of Parental. In a sense, it is another recording where GFD shows us what he is capable of by renewing his stylings. Then, last year GFD kicked out his own solo production, Thesis, cementing his resurgence. According to HHV, “Godfather Don has everything else musically in his own hands here, both in terms of the production and the raps, whose blunt, uncompromising style is influenced by Chuck D or KMD.”
Now, the two UK producers collective known as Jazz Spastiks have come together with GFD on Writer’s Delight to allow his original rhymes to flow across their jazzy beats. The Spastiks are well known to those who know (if you are in the know) and these two are prolific. They can mix a beat so well on their own, like their 2007 stellar release, Spastrumentals. But when they come together with other hip-hop vocal artists, the Spastiks really seem to do no wrong. Take the 2015 release Unkut Fresh as case in point. On that release, they know what’s up and cook up a perfect flow state cake with Rebels to the Grain, blending solid beats in a mix bowl of lyrical spices. Like most collaborations, JS are usually good to make their instrumentals available too in separate release. Fortunately for you, on Writer’s Delight you don’t have to wait as you will enjoy both formats at once!
So, should we expect anything less here on Writer’s Delight? You don’t really need to answer that. Be the judge when the full release from the “Technic Terrorist” and the “Slipmat Brothers” is scheduled to hit the shelves on March 28th.
Track Listing:
1. From Da Basement
2. Gnosis
3. Revolution
4. The Shit
5. U Already Know
6. Straight From The Gutter
7. Do It
8. Unstoppable
9. Kick The Ballistics
10. Space Jam
11. Beat & A Bassline
12. From Da Basement (Instrumental)
13. Gnosis (Instrumental)
14. Revolution (Instrumental)
15. The Shit (Instrumental)
16. U Already Know (Instrumental)
17. Straight From The Gutter (Instrumental)
18. Do It (Instrumental)
19. Unstoppable (Instrumental)
20. Kick The Ballistics (Instrumental)
21. Space Jam (Instrumental)
22. Beat & A Bassline (Instrumental)
