Enzo will indisputably grow up with a healthy diet of all rap's most popular and fringe subgenres -- most notably, the lyrically dextrous, rhythm-based rap of the 1980s East Coast; the urban-grime, beat influenced, gangsta rap of the 1990s West Coast; and the experimental, electronica avante-garde rap of the 2000s Mid-America.
One of the advantages of living in the Live Music Capitol of the World, is the opportunity to catch acts like these as they were intended: the dirt lot, abandoned warehouse, parking garage rooftop, pop-up club, small-venues of SXSW. Fuck it, they'd put these acts in a drainage ditch if only they could fit a 5x5 stage and get a permit to give away free Goose.
One of the dreams I've had since pre-parenthood is to take Enzo to the full, four-day shitshow that is Austin's indie mardi-gras. I'm not sure at what age SXSW is kid-appropriate, but last year, I scoped all the cool-dads with their progeny in tow, hitting up Grimes and Big Boi like motherfuckin bosses. I plan on being admitted into that segment of Gonzo indieism (although, full disclosure, Enzo's first gig appearance was at 2011 SXSW courtesy of Melissa).
Like so many of us -- the people around my age reading this, at least -- we grew up like delinquents on rap. Keggers involved Beastie, Nas, Bone, Common, Pharcyde, NWA, Ice Cube, Dre, Snoop, Eazy, Jurassic 5, Tupac, Biggie, Public Enemy, and Wu. You wanted to work out in the high school gym? Hope you liked rap; the same gym that likely played a shitload of Duran Duran and The Crüe only a decade prior. Heh.
Kid Cudi | The Pursuit of Happiness
For the indie-heads listening, these percussions, rhythm movements, basslines and synthesizers might appear familiar, as they were performed by MGMT and Ratatat in collaboration with Kid Cudi. And, apart from the overt message in the title and the amazingly driven beats, the words reflect a blithe regard for anything going on, except for at this moment.
Das Racist | You Ought to Know
Me and some pals of mine were fortunate enough to be in the final dudebro push into the tiniest club I've ever been to on 6th Street -- seemingly built for five people, but hosting at somewhere in the 50,000 range -- for Das Racist's 2010 SXSW gig. It was worth unintentionally grinding with some of my closest friends in order to hear these guys perform. This song is an all-time [An Avenue] porch-lounging favorite, particularly during those high-ABV nights. This song provides the will for us to pop open another bomber that we know we probably shouldn't.
Odd Future (WGKTA) | Orange Juice ft. EarlWolf
If you are not between the ages of 21 and 39 or have a decent amount of principles, I would probably recommend that you not click on the song file above -- just in case you wanted to have yourself a lil looksee. Odd Future (WGKTA) performs some of the most brackish shit your Victorian ears will never hear -- however, the duo of Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt may be the most talented in the short, but prestigious, history of rap.
Wait. Moreso than OutKast, GangStarr, EPMD, Black Star, Erik B & Rakim, muhfukka? Well, OK. I see your point, but Odd Future are at least in the conversation.
At the time of this recording Tyler and Earl were just 19 and 15-years-old, respectively. Their musical talent doesn't even begin to taper off at rapping, with classical instrument training and record producing also a formidable bullet point on their resumes. (And, you may have heard of Odd Future charter member, and current internationalist, Frank Ocean, who was 21 at the time of this album's release).
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So, although not an exhaustive list, this is a good primer to get Enzo started in the world of heavy weight lifting and throwing raging flyer-parties in the backyard with a bunch of impressionable candykids.
And who will be the coolest of the cool-dads, then? Swag.
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