New collaborative track: Mae Dali & Tepalom

[Halif]

Due to a number of circumstances I haven't done much inspired music creation of my own freeform electronica recently, but it's been an amazing chance to try something way outside of my comfort zone.

I generally don't listen to hip hop or rap. There's undoubtedly some excellent hard hip hop from the 80s and early 90s, but when it went 'gangsta' and more or less replaced messages with meaningless symbols, bragging about superficial wealth, and hate-mongering I lost interest.

Then when it turned into something else entirely in the 2000s I lost the plot totally and stopped listening. But SoundCloud is a great place to discover people who are the real deal, and I was blown away by the 'realness' and originality of a Washingtonian freestyler going by the name of Mae Dali. I messaged him simply to say that I was inspired by the sheer, unfiltered originality of some of his many, eclectic tracks; ranging from rough and off-the-streets old school freestyle rhymes, to spiritually (his own, not born again 'something or other') tinged tracks that were unlike anything I'd heard. Intelligent, cryptic lyrics - mostly off the top of his head after pressing record- in a stream of consciousness style. Some of it is humorous, some of it calmly threatening, some of it thoughtful and soul-searching...

Anyway, to my surprise, I ended up making a couple of tracks for him to rhyme over - and I sent them off as rough samples expecting him to ask for changes. To my greater surprise he used both and posted them in less than 24 hours of my sending them, with no changes at all to the music.

Here's the second - my favourite.

https://soundcloud.com/maedali/maealom-pt-2

I will now go back to what I was doing before - re-releasing some of my better original compositions with higher fidelity and extended length which are then availablle as free downloads for anyone who wants to hear something a bit different.

[planthelper]

you got my thumbs up, me nigga liked it, bro.

[Halif]

Cool PH! (if not being sarcastic - i actually couldn't tell)

I thought about putting up a disclaimer before the link warning people that the track contains frequent swearing and use of the word nigger. I didn't put that warning up, because I figured that from my original post it would be expected.

Not saying that there can't be good, hard hitting hip hop without swearing and saying 'nigger' all the time - check out Kay Miyagi on Soundcloud: A prime example of someone who frequently has messages of respect for his family and heritage, and general positive messages, without sounding cheesy at all. In fact, There's a cool unfazed tone in his voice which implies he doesn't need to shout, swear, or do anything other than delivery his raps.

I like Mae Dali because he's so unique. He's broad minded, intelligent (lyrical genius in my opinion), very much into surrealist art (added the word Dali to his first name) after discovering the works out Salvador Dali. All these interesting ideas, and always changing, expanding - yet you can hear that he grew up rough. That sound comes out of his voice and leaves you with no doubt that he's the deal. I have found him to be very polite in out limited conversations, and I enjoyed collaborating with him. Finallly, a highly talented freestyle rapper who has garnered plenty of notice from not only fans, but radio and labels - and he doesn't want it. He won't take a contract. His art is his life to him, and he wouldn't risk corrupting it by allowing anyone else to control - even if it's for a big pay check.

So, yeah, as you can tell, I'm pretty inspired by the guy, despite hip hop not being remotely close to one of my favourite genres. When someone is that original, they transcend their genre and become something else.

EDIT: I wrote PlantHelper as PL ..... Plant Lover?!

Edited October 3, 2013 by Halif

[planthelper]

just to clear up things, surly I meant the word nigga in a good context!

I liked how he used this word, compared to other artists, as it's still powerfull, but somehow, not as much into your face, as with other singers.

although he used it often, it didn't feel to me like he used it to, get attention or strength for the lyrics.

halif, if I were you, I would be so proud of myself, that dali corroberated with you!

I think music is still the most powerfull tool on the forefront of the struggle to cast aside, questions of color, political views, religious views, hierarchy and sexuall preferances.

[planthelper]

halif and dali, I learned o lot of you, I am having a super session with you right now, and I am playing the dige with you...

halif, you are strong with sound colours, and dali showed me how to breath, on a deeper level, on my didgeridoo. ;)

[Halif]

Planthelper: THank you so much for that feedback. You absolutely nailed this:

I liked how he used this word, compared to other artists, as it's still powerfull, but somehow, not as much into your face, as with other singers.
although he used it often, it didn't feel to me like he used it to, get attention or strength for the lyrics.

I don't know the guy apart from a few messages we've exchanged, and a couple of collaborative tracks, but he has single handedly restored my faith in the genre of hip hop as a medium to deliver a message. And as you say, he does say 'nigger' a lot, and this is part of his background. He grew up in Washington state in circumstances I believe many would not be able to deal with, let alone to come out of it being as open minded as possible and channeling his anger/energy into art (painting) and music.

The fact that someone can be rough as nails due to circumstances outside their control (ie. neighborhood where you grew up), but not be either crushed into depression, or become a part of the violence and perpetuate that cycle is no minor miracle.

I';m so glad that you got this:

it didn't feel to me like he used it to, get attention or strength for the lyrics.

You're spot on. I'm sick to death of gangsta rap and the glorifcation of what is a massive failure on the part of a nation and humanity in general - what happened? We went from 'The Message" to endless tracks about stacking paper, slappin' hoes, 15 inch rims on my benz, etc. Superficial shit.

Mae is the real deal. he talks that way because he lived it. He doesn't have to try to sound tough or use the word nigger or swear a lot. he doesn't even have to raise his voice. There's a quiet authority and occasionally menacing edge to his lyrics at times which has way more impact that some pretender waving gang signs or guns around in a rap video.

Thanks again, man. I really am glad that you got something out of it and recognised that there's something unique in this artist, and the fact that you learned something about BOTH of the contributors from hearing these sounds shows how attuned you are to frequencies.

You're a legend.

Just wanted to post a track of Mae's from a while back. I had nothing to do with this one, but I think it's awesome. It's not easy to take a message like "love yourself" which was become such a cheesy cliche, and make it sound utterly convincing. Add to the fact that it's coming from someone who didn't exactly have an easy go at life, and it makes it all the more meaningful:

https://soundcloud.com/maedali/ex-psy-5

Edited October 6, 2013 by Halif