Several of my friends are very snobby about rap. They say they don't like it, which is fine, everyone has different tastes. But for some reason when people don't like rap they feel the need to try and belittle and demean it. That's an attitude I don't understand, these people never act the same way when they tell me they don't like free jazz.
I suspect part of the distaste they have for rap is down to the sort of rap they here on the radio and see on music channels. But really most music that's played on mainstream commercial radio now is pretty terrible, but it's only in rap that the entire genre is judged on such a small selection.
All of which is a very long-winded way of posting some music by Blade, probably my favourite UK rapper. Blade retired from making music after the release of his album Guerrilla Tactics in 2006. His (and his labels) website is no longer active, but there's plenty of his music available on Amazon.
If you've heard of Blade it's almost certainly this song:
Ya Don't See The Sign (Grant Nicholls remix) from his album with Mark B called The Unknown.
I'm not going to spend lots of time writing about how important Blade has been to UK hip-hop from the very start of the genre and how much I wish he'd make more music. Even though both of those things are true I hope he's enjoying his retirement.
Here's some mp3s for you:
Lyrical Maniac - Blade (his first ever release)
The Coming Is Near - Blade
You Better Go For Yours - Blade
Mind Of An Ordinary Citizen - Blade
Fade Em Out - Blade
Mumps - Blade
Ya Don't See The Sings (Phi Life Cypher remix) - Mark B & Blade feat Life and Si Philli
Just An Unknown - Mark Devine's Mash-up of The Unknown by Mark B & Blade and Just by Mark Ronson.
Four Walls - Blade (from his last album)
There are three albums (his last three) available from Amazon, all available at ridiculously low prices, so buy them:
The Unknown - Mark B & Blade
Storms Are Brewing - Blade
Guerrilla Tactics - Blade
That's it. Enjoy the music and buy the albums.
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