"'Gotchoo'...promises “beats by the pound” and “flavor in the rhyme” within its first 30 seconds. The album itself, entitled Drapetomania (say druh-pet-oh-may-nee-uh) promises to be a firm statement of intent for the group, who take simple beats and loops and, in the spirit of great-hip hop, aim to elevate them into new rhythmic territories." - Brice Ezell, PopMatters
Drapetomania (pronounced druh-pet-oh-may-nee-uh), the first official record fromThe Green Seed, has all the gusto and urgency of a debut. Brimming with lyrics of fury courtesy of emcees R-Tist and C.O.M.P.L.E.T., the stabbing attacks of dynamic DJ duo FX and Jeff C, and a lush soundworld layered with rich textures and trunk-rattling beats, Drapetomania is a feast for the ears, a Loveless for heads steeped in Buhloone Mind State (and vice versa).
R-Tist has long been a fantastic producer, one who mixed MPC mastery with live instrumentation. Still, joining forces with the production crew at Birmingham-based label Communicating Vessels -- namely, producer Jeffrey Cain (Remy Zero,Isidore), engineer Kyle Ginther, and mastering guru Paul Logus -- has taken his beats to dizzying new heights. You'd be forgiven for thinking that Drapetomaniawasn't the product of the Dirty South but rather the blunted grit of J Dilla's Detroit or the otherwordly production of Lex Records. Drapetomania is no homage though, it's a unique blend of heart, laughter, and guts.
Speaking of Lex Records, Drapetomania is also a fest for the eyes thanks to the astounding artwork of enigmatic art collective EHQuestionmark, the design collective behind much of Lex's output, including records by Shape of Broad Minds, Neon Neon, and DOOM.
In fact, it was EHQuestionmark who suggested the album title: Drapetomania is a bit of 19th century pseudoscience -- the "disorder" causing a slave's urge to flee. The idea of drapetomania inspired the eerily psychedelic minstrels that adorn the album's artwork, which looks especially striking as an LP. With that last conceptual detail in place, Drapetomania gained extra heft as a work of art, though none of that matters without the strong material that lives within the grooves.
Drapetomania is out July 15th on Communicating Vessels in Limited Edition Vinyl, CD, and Digital formats. Vinyl and CD pre-orders can be made now at the Communicating Vessels website, here. Each comes with a digital download of the album.
Live Dates:
July 11 - Hang Fire - Savannah, GA
July 25 - Proud Larry's - Oxford, MS
August 1 - Secret Stages - Birmingham, AL
What the press have to say:
“For folks who think the '90s was Golden Age of hip hop, Birmingham, Alabama group The Green Seed recalls the days of De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, Black Star and more.”
-Brooklyn Vegan
- Jayson Greene, Wondering Sound
"Behind the blood smearing and skull smashing is an archetypal story, enacted by a set of characters, and a solid hip-hop record laced with multisyllabic deliveries."
-Alex Siber, Potholes In My Blog
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