Mix - Hip(ster)-Hop Mashups From The Hood Internet

The creme de la creme of rap and rock come together in The Hood Internet, a duo of mashup DJs STV SLV and ABX.

I've always been a big fan of the remix. To me, it can be an awesome tool; to re-imagine, revise, or simply add a different flavor to a song. They are a common, nearly ever-present entity in the world of hip-hop. DJs, produceres, and even the rappers themselves will issue b-sides - or even whole albums - of remixes featuring their favorite mix.

Then there's the mashup. The red-headed stepchild of the remix, the mashup is a beast to be reckoned with; some of them are good, a whole lot of them bad. In some hands it can be done well, but all to often is a sickly mix of pop hits that leave a sticky residue in your ears. Enter The Hood Internet. These two guys (with a little side help) put together an astounding mix of just-below-the-surface underground rappers, mainstream rap stars, and a list of indie rock and dance that reads like Sterogum's most wanted. And yet, it is awesome.

The following is my list of a solid mix by which to get the party going. Mashups are great for referencing music you already know and might like, and the following do so with enough ingenuity to make a good song. Put these on and watch people get down.

1. Ghostface Killah (feat. Jacki-O) vs. Spoon - The Ghostface of You Lingers

I chose this one to start the party off with thanks to it's moody intro. The Spoon loops are perfect; danceable and sparse, which gives the perfect emo backdrop to Ghostface and Jacki-O battling bars over their relationship woes. Yet it is Ghostface, and when the beat drops you'll want to move. Spoon does come and sing a hook or two, which makes this mashup a good example of using both songs well together.

2. Aesop Rock vs. The Knife -We Share Our Mother's Jumper Cables

These oddballs were made for each other.

3. Ol' Dirty Bastard vs. White Williams -Got Your Smoke

I know there's been a lot of remixes of the ODB, but this one really captures the fun-loving nature of Ol' Dirty. White Williams' happy-hardcore samples just makes his vocals that much more funky. The crowd loves this one.

4. Lil' Wayne vs. Modest Mouse - Fire It Up, Firemouse

This was the first Hood 'Net mashup I ever heard, and even though I'm neither a fan of Lil' Wayne or Modest Mouse, this track had me hooked. This is a great example of each song being made for the other. The choruses line up and compliment each other perfectly, the samplings of "Fire It Up" make an evocative and fun beat for Wayne's flow; it may not necessarily be my style, but this song is too good to pass on. Plus it's nice to dance to.

5. Snoop Dogg (feat. R. Kelly) vs. Architecture in Helsinki - That's That Whirlwind

Just imagine Snoop Dogg on stage with 8 cacophonous Australians. I'd pay money to see that. The only downside to this track is that since Snoop has been doing all this "quiet gangsta" rapping lately, his vocals get lost halfway through the song when the band really ramps up. I don't mind though, since it's mostly his rhyme's rhythm that I like on this track anyway.

6. De La Soul vs. Jamie Liddel - What's The Stakes
7. Atmosphere vs. Of Montreal - They Call It A Pun
8. Dismemberment Plan vs. Amerie - What One Thing Do You Want Me To Say?

This is a bit of a turnaround; rather, it's the rocker's lyrics over the R&B singer's chopped up beat. I had seen Travis Morrison only a few days before I heard this, and he had a mean pair of bongos up on stage, and this could have come right out of his set. Funky and bass-heavy, it should be good enough even for your friends that have never heard of the Dismemberment Plan.

9. Devin the Dude (feat. Andre 3000) vs. Les Savy Fav - What Would Devin Do?

This one took a minute for me to like, but I've always been a fan of Les Savy Fav, and Andre's never been shy flowing over energetic guitars. This song about perseverance is complemented perfectly by an uplifting, driving rock backdrop.

10. El-P (feat. Trent Reznor) vs. White Rabbits - The Plot (Flyentology)

I chose this track to follow because it too takes a more rocking edge. El-P's aggressive flow over the punked-out sampling of White Rabbits' "The Plot" give this track the punk-rap feel that groups like The Translpants attempt, but fall short at. As an aside, I've never heard the original version of "Flyentology," just the remix by Cassettes Won't Listen.

11. Jay-Z vs. Xiu Xiu - I Do Brooklyn When I Want

This track is best described by my friend JD: "I don't really like Jay-Z regularly, but I love every remix he's ever in." The fusion of Jigga Man with the bizarrely experimental group Xiu Xiu is as unlikely a pairing as I could ever imagine, and yet this is one of my favorite tracks off the whole site. The sing-songy samples evoke Jay-Z skipping through his stomping grounds, and loving every second of it.

12. Lily Allen vs. Chromatics - Masked Smile

While not that dancey, I had to throw this one in at the end as a track to bring it back down. I'm not a big Lily Allen fan, but I love the heavy synths of Chromatics, and this mashup is pretty sick. Allen's vocals here are complemented by a solid sampling of low-end vibes and moody keys. Think of it as the one to close the night on, to play when you're in the taxi home.

You can download these plus a lot more from their site, or you can bump the Muxtape of it here.

Check back next week for a re:Mix from Evan Mix.

© 2008 Colin Wonnacott for Listen In. Some Rights Reserved.