Have I mentioned how much I fucking hate MCs? Why yes! I think I have.
Well, tonight's Photek show was as horrid as I expected. It was terrible because I happen to like Photek, but as is par for course with drum-and-bass events lately, there was an MC blathering over the music for the whole show, totally obliterating the music I came to hear.
I have two Photek discs, and as far as I can recall, neither of them feature a suburban Gap-wearing white fratboy rapping in a bad Jamaican accent for four hours.
I just don't get it. I can't even put myself in the DJ's shoes: I mean, DJs like this guy are unlike most DJs in that they aren't just standing there playing other peoples' records: they're playing their own records. And you'd think that if they thought their music needed a fake-Jamaican rapper, well, they would have included one in the recording, wouldn't they?
And it's not even like the DJ chose to go on tour with this chump: as far as I can tell, the MC is always a local, booked by the promoters, so there's a different fake-Jamaican each night of the tour. Presumably the DJs could put a stop to this if they objected, so they're clearly complicit... but why??
It's almost harder to tolerate events like this than it is to tolerate the "deep house" crap we usually do, because at least the house nights are just 100% hateful through-and-through: whereas, this is an event that could have been music I liked, if they didn't go and totally fuck it up.
The first DJ was really good, though: the MC didn't start until later.
5 Responses:
saying it again: it ain't right, YO
So true. MCs need to learn that less is more. Once they do, they *might* be a worthwhile addition to D&B/jungle sets. Until then, they're just blathering nonstop and a major detriment to the music.
And you'd think that if they thought their music needed a fake-Jamaican rapper, well, they would have included one in the recording, wouldn't they?
That just about hits the nail on the head.
The only one I've ever liked was Skibadee.
ha ha MC Duh. He must be so smart. "Subversive flow, spontaneous freestyles and razor sharp wit"? What is is, Off-Broadway? No, wait, New Yorkers couldn't stop themselves from kicking his ass.
"and now back to the familiar refrain / I ain't ever giving you the mike again"
I was listening to the webcast show last night and I would have to say the SAME THING. Duh gets annoying. I met my girlfriend at a Photek show 3 years ago and back then it was all about the music, not the riddy riddum annoyances of the MC.
Also, its kind of dumb that the current Photek sound is exactly like all the other drum and bass out there. I was originally attracted to his stuff because he was really good at minimalism, not sounding like all the other DJs.
But I wasnt there, so maybe the vibe last night made up for it.