Now that we’ve established who Advanced Chemistry (AC) is, let’s go ahead and meet some of their buddies. This compilation is not only a platter for Germany’s “Old School” to represent itself, as the title says, but more of a celebration of the old school philosophy. A tribute to the Zulu Nation and its view of hip-hop as a culture of several elements. And what better way to manifest the idea than with a dope-ass cover made by UK graf legend Mode 2, whose characters, especially the fine ladies he painted, became something of a trademark.
The compilation unites some of Germany’s early birds, mainly from their city of Heidelberg, such as AC, Stieber Twins (dope producers, writers and then budding MCs), Boulevard Bou (who drops one in Turkish) with other old farts like producer and battle rapper Scopemann (of Rude Poets and STF), DJ Stylewarz of Bremen’s hardcore crew No Remorze, Zebroc Ski aka Zebster aka Akim Walta (who used to run MZEE, back when it was a fanzine, a label, a shop and basically THE platform for German hip-hop).
From Here To Fame/MZEE logo
(I still have a shirt with this on)
The odd one out on here is clearly MC René who, at the time must have been around 13 or 14. He was the freestyle Wunderkind from Braunschweig who left fans and the media hugely impressed with his energy and endless flows on stage, only to go on with a bunch of hit-or-miss singles and albums in the years that followed. Probably another case of freestyle-o-titis, i.e. dope live, but pretty meh on record. But that’s not the case with this track on here, mind you, and he represents “The new rhyme generation”.
The track on here that’s probably aged best is Torch’s “Kapitel 1″, which, in Germany has about the status that “The message” has, to which he refers.
“Ich weiss noch genau, wie das alles begann
The Message von Melle Mel war für mich wie ein Telegramm
und obwohl ich kein einziges Wort verstehen konnte, erkannte
ich was für ein Feuer in seinen Worten brannte…”
(I remember exactly how all this began
The Message by Melle Mel was to me like a telegram
and even though I couldn’t understand a single word I recognized
the fire burning in his words…)
These lines will forever be engrained in every hip-hop fan’s memory.
Peace, 9@home
22 October 2007 at 12:15 pm
Great write up so far. But Mode 2 has his homebase in Paris, even though he was in a crew with writers from London (TCA-The Chrome Angels). It also might be interesting to know for international readers that Toni L featured Kid Frost on the single of his first LP “Der Pate” – “The Godfather”.
cheers
Jasper
22 October 2007 at 1:03 pm
Yeah, of course you’re right. But Mode2 is FROM the UK. I linked to the interview so people who are interested can find out about him themselves.
Also, good lookin for the Toni L factoid. There’s a lot more to know about the people, for instance that Linguist really is one, having studied the languages in Vanuatu, that Torch has spent some time in England making drum’n'bass, etc. etc. etc.
As the famous saying goes:
This… is just… the… beginning. ;)
24 October 2007 at 6:16 am
man.. this was a great drop. I still have a magazine from 93 with an ad for this album. i could never find a store in the U.S. with it in stock though. thanks for giving the chance to finally hear it.
Semantik
http://www.cratekings.com
30 October 2007 at 3:38 pm
Danke, für den geilen Sampler. Ich wollte mal fragen, ob du vielleicht noch “Cora E – Corage” hast. Wäre nett von dir, wenn du es hochladen könntest. Ich könnte dir im Gegenzug die “Keep Shit Raw/Fenster zum Hof” Maxi anbieten. Müsste ich aber erst noch überspielen. Danke im voraus.
13 November 2007 at 4:01 pm
HI,
hab gerade das Mode 2 Interview gelesen. Is spitze. Ich dachte, dass er aus Paris kommt, weil ich das Video zur Pariser Graffiti Geschichte gesehen hatte und man ihn da als Jugendlichen mit Bando chillen sieht.
Ich hoffe, das dir meine besserwisserischen Kommentare zu deinen Deutschrap-posts nich auf die Eier gehen. Ich les jetz schon n halbes Jahr viele RAp Blogs und hab mich bisher nich viel an den Diskussionen beteiligt, weil ich das Gefühl hatte, dass die anderen Leute eh mehr Plan haben als ich. Als ich jetzt endlich ma was halbwegs konstruktives beitragen konnte, …
…ich behersch diesen entspannten Konversationsschreibstil, der in den Blogs üblich is, noch nich so ganz (zumindest auf englisch). Daher kommt das vielleicht was läpsch rüber. Is aber nich bös gemeint. Ich freu mich einfach, das endlich ma einer was vernünftiges über alten europäischen Räp schreibt. Vor allem bin ich auch viel zu faul meine Plattten zu rippen…
also mach weiter so
Jasper
24 February 2008 at 10:18 pm
“Alte Schule” was my first German Rap Record. Bought in Cologne on Vinyl in 1994. I played it on my brand new Technics all the time, back in the days. Totally flashed of it! This started my interest in Rap. True Classic Shit…
20 May 2008 at 3:06 am
A couple of memories came by listening to the first track. Hot. Thanks for that memorie lane trip!
21 May 2009 at 1:36 pm
“…DJ Stylewarz of Bremen’s hardcore crew No Remorze…”
DJ Stylewarz and the rest of No Remorze comes from Bremerhaven. That’s the other City in the ‘Bundesland’ Bremen.
22 May 2009 at 10:04 pm
Yes, of course, you’re right. Looking at it from way down in the south that seemed like a detail one could dismiss of, but that’s my bad, obviously. ;)