© 2024 KMUW
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Hip Hop For The Passersby

  

Spring is finally here, and along with it comes one of my favorite activities: playing music really loud in my car. 

Hip hop was made for this—sometimes specifically made to be played in cars, but more generally, made to be overheard by passersby. Think back to the days of the giant boom boxes or parties in the parks. It is the music of cities, the sound of downtown and concrete and traffic, and it’s absolutely my pleasure to subject you to my deep cuts and funky beats.

The best hip hop to blast is the older stuff—way back in the beginning up through the early nineties. This is a tactical opinion: back then, the instrumentation was overall less orchestral and contained clearer melodic lines so it’s easier to hear through the Doppler effect. One of my standards for sunny days is the Native Tongues-affiliated group The Jungle Brothers. It’s funky, socially conscious and sounds great in my Jetta.

What you pick is up to you, but remember you’re showcasing your collection for the world to hear. Throw in that Boogie Down Productions album and drive a little below the speed limit. It’s spring, the world is renewed, and we’ve all become passersby.