Outstanding Debut (Boy In Da Corner - Dizzee Rascal)

Member Name: paulie1975

Product:	Boy In Da Corner - Dizzee Rascal
Date:	22/04/09 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Mad Breakbeats, great flows and intelligent lyrics

Disadvantages: Concentrate hard as the beats and lyrics are challenging

Debut album from Dizzee Rascal, this brought something new and radical to both UK Hip Hop and Garage music, Dizzee is an MC who is willing to move so far outside the box that you don't know where the box is anymore. Lyrically he's intelligent, prepared to talk about the trials and tribulations of his life, but prepared to move far beyond that and comment on things way beyond this.


Sittin Here - Talking about how things used to be, how life was easier, there was less trouble, less hassle, less stress and less police, the background sounds portray police sirens, gunshots and trouble while Dizzee talks about sitting down watching his world change around him, quietly watching things get worse and worse, this is depressing without being indulgently so, the beats are breaking and there is a strange oriental bounce over the top, Dizzee is on top form and really produces some great lyrics on this tune.

Stop Dat - Nice buzzing beginning, this builds slowly and then moves into a strange vibrant beat with Dizzee throwing rhymes over the top, the lyrics are good, the beat is great if your playing it in your car or something with some good bass, this is where Dizzee is at his best, the beats are incredibly interesting, his style could be the only one in the UK that would fit over these disparate beats and the tune has a real personality of its owner.

I Luv U - With a constant verse of I Luv U over the top, the beats are heavy and intergalactic sounding, the flows are free and Dizzee is totally on song here, this is a good tune, the lyrics are funny, unfortunately portraying modern life, I think the female vocalist is Lady Sovereign and as always she prints her personality over her lyrics. Decent tune, the subjects depressing but this is life today.

Brand New Day - Mad Oriental Beat over the top of this, I love the breakbeats on this album and these are incredibly inventive, the flow goes well again, Dizzee talking about people hating him and how his estate has changed, but the flow is positive and uplifting. A decent tune with good intelligent lyrical content.

2 Far - This tune features Wiley too, and these two are the big boys in the UK Hip Hop/Garage scene, really good battle of styles, the flow is bouncey and good fun, the styles follow this bounce, the chorus is excellent this is one of the highlights of the album for me.

Fix Up, Look Sharp - Sample heavy, this is one of the best known songs on this album with a rocky chorus, this has catchy lyrics, a good beat and is incredibly catchy, this tune shows Rascal's eye for a beat and a sample. A superb song, try not to tap your foot to this. Dizzee is sparkling on this telling his rivals and people who hate him, just how good he is.

Cut 'Em Off - Cut off beats, I don't like the low level industrial beats on this tune, the lyrics and flow are good but its a slow depressing song.

Hold Ya Mouf - Superb fast flows from Mr Rascal, he is so good at what he does, the lyrics are superb, really assured and confident for a debut, he is a bit brash at times, but the use of rhyme is superb and he does talk about avoiding conflict, the beat is nice, abstract and a bit heavy.

Round We Go - Underground beats, vibes and bass, the backing vocal is annoying, Dizzee's story is very interesting and he makes this work by rhyming to the flow of the beat, he really is so flexible and makes this tune sound totally original and interesting.

Wot U On? - I love all the things going on in this tune, some hard garage layered over some base, interesting backing vocals, nice mix of voices on the track, the flow goes well, the chorus is excellent, I like this tune its a modern classic multi-layered with depth and some substance, this is an example that UK Hip Hop has really taken on board and innovation is on the up now!

Jezebel - Love the start with the twanging of a string instrument, then a tinny drum over the top. A story about a local girl with a bad reputation, a really good story, Dizzee slows it down and it works well for this. A sad song really when you think about the subject, a young girl who goes with too many guys and gets a bad reputation. Rascal deals with this realistically in the choruses with some abusive taunts but the story in the verses is much more sensitive and the song works on this contrast brilliantly.

Seems 2 Be - A big bouncy beat, I like the flows on this but overall its one of the more forgettable songs on the album.

Live O - Love the fast paced beats, the fast paced flows and the excellent lyrics, this song is dark and roaming and really works well.


Do It! - More interesting oriental sounding beats, this tune is distorted, the lyrics are good, angry, uplifting and mature, the tune is weird and innovative, its so listenable but you have to concentrate hard to get through this.

As a debut album this is amazing, it totally rewrote the rules of UK Hip Hop and along with Sway, Roots Manuva and Wiley, this guy is at the forefront of UK Hip Hop, he is innovative, mixing rap and rock, mixing mad abstract beats with songs about life on the streets.

Dizzee rascal is much more realistic than most, he goes beyond bragging an taunting and looks for answers and poses interesting questions, he challenges society rather than simply talking tough. His flows are brilliant, fast or slow paced, off kilter or structured he can do it all. The album is not the most listenable unless you concentrate hard, but it is challenging, interesting and one of the Best British debut albums in the last 20 years.

You can download the album on I-Tunes or Amazon or buy the CD on Amazon for £8.98, it is also available in HMV, Play or Ebay.

Summary: Outstanding Debut Album