Redifine

Carefree hip hop from Canadian group DFE. Really good production. In fact, the production is much too good for the quality of the rapping, which is just mediocre. A lot of the time they try to be comedy but…yeah…not quite there yet. They call their friends “cats” like it makes them sound cool. And who the hell are all those legions of “suckas” they’re always referencing in about every song? Despite this, there are some tracks that are still good though, mostly because of the good guest appearances. Play track 8 because it is awesome. Play any of the recommended tracks because they’re pretty good. Play any of the other tracks because there are only like 3 hip hop CDs in the A-file.
FCC CLEAN TRY: ***8, *5, *3, *9, *12

1. Weird…rap…that mostly talks about cereal. Really bad intro talking about how DFE will take over the world. Yawn.
2. A nice keyboard line beat but poorly matched with the tacky rap. This is a great example of how there is nothing cheesier than chanting the name of your group over and over again. “Tha DFE!” (One exception: Wu-Tang)
*3. Great funky beat with sax and chorus. This track features Raashan Ahmad and his talent makes the track noticeably better. Roadtrip-type song with nice shoutouts to various sites in Canada.
4. Keep the funk alive. Talking about keeping the message of the music, hip-hop etc.
*5. Growing-up narrative about a hip-hop childhood. Nice, upbeat, fluty beat—sounds almost like Seasame Street music or something. But it’s really good. Don’t worry.
6. Again, the guest appearances really show up DFE. Super bouncy beat with a bit of strummy electric guitar (kinda like in Nas’ “Get Down”) and a nice female choir section.
7. Slower, “all the love is gone” type of song. It has a dark tone certainly, but it is also optimistic.
***8. Afrocubano beat!!! Coming-of-age story describing a relationship between Mario and Mariposa as they grow up together in the barrio. Lots of Latin American references, from Spanish phrases to name-dropping Tito Puente!
*9. A guy has a crush on a girl. Like a lot. Should he ask her out? DFE also uses asking out a girl as a metaphor for bigger themes in life. Nice flutey background beats with subtle cowbells, bells, and just a smack of guitar.
10. Very upfront almost-aggressive sounding rap. The best part is the distorted Donald Fagan (of Steely Dan) sample in the background. There is also a little interlude with some scratching and a bit of a capella singing. (NOTE: The last minute or so of the track is just the beat repeating itself)
11. Don’t play this song. It’s like a bad Eminem skit which makes fun of society’s reaction to hip-hop. I don’t know if it’s trying to be funny, or serious, or not, but either way, it makes me want toIf I have to break my arm.
*12. The rap is a little pompus. And the chorus is pretty uncreative. It’s basically what Public Enemy said, only they said it like 30 years ago and they said it like 30 times better. But the beat is just awesome and makes it worth it.
13. Creamy, back-a-the-‘lac type beat. R&B stuff. Smooth. “Breathe in and breathe out.”
14. Concert call and response sample leads into 1-minute comment on how hip hop needs positive messages. (Not a real song).