White People: Parental Advisory - Handsome Boy Modeling School

Handsome Boy Modelling School - So... How's Your Girl? A typically bonkers name for the typically bonkers Prince Paul, one-time member of the seminal Stetsasonic and collaborator with De La Soul and the Beasties. So... How's Your Girl sees him team up with fellow hip-hop auteur The Automator for a mix of old-school partyness and new-school experimentalism. For old school, read guest raps by the likes of Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and De La Soul's Trugoy, while '90s hepsters will prefer tracks by Alex Empire, DJ Shadow and for the soul smoothie Sunshine, Money Mark. According to the last track, "Handsome Boy Modelling School is the best ...  Read the complete review

Comprised of Dan the Automator (aka Dr Octagon) and Prince Paul, you already know its going to be a good 'un. And it lives up to all expectations, superceding by far. This album contains some pretty raw beats, an some smooth lyrical prose, combining head bouncin' hip hop beats with some pretty mellow tracks. With artists such as Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Mike D, Sean Lennon, Dave of De La Soul, Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto, Roisin of Moloko and the almighty DJ Shadow, there is a diverse and brilliant diamond in the rough of todays hip hop. From the big-ass tunes 'Rock 'n' Roll' and 'Holy Calamity', to 'The Truth' ft ...  Read the complete review

The debut album 'So .... How's your girl?' by two artists, brought about a collaboration between Prince Paul and Dan Nakamura, often described as the most innovative hip-hop producers. You will not be able to listen to this without getting the songs in your head for a long time. I'm not a particular hip-hop fan, but I love this album. I came to it having heard the sublime track featuring Roisin from Moloko, 'The Truth'. This still remains one of the best songs I have heard all year, with a vaguely melancholy but dramatic piano drenched melody, and Roisins amazing voice. This album uses the theme of the modelling school throughout, with ...  Read the complete review

The Handsome Boy Modeling School are represented by Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merryweather, two hip-hop heavyweights you might know better as Prince Paul ("3 Feet High & Rising") and Dan the Automator (Dr Octogan). For this album, they've drawn together a diverse and impressive range of collaborators, including Sean Lennon, Money Mark, Mike D, Grand Puba, Sadat X and DJ Shadow. If, like me, you pick up on this release for the DJ Shadow connection, there really is much more to enjoy on the album than his contribution of cut-up raucousness, 'Holy Calamity'. Much of the album is far straighter hip-hop than you would find on ...  Read the complete review