Independent Hip-Hop?

Not that I have anything wrong with rap and hip-hop, but the "low-blow" music that populates these genres never really interested me. Unsurprisingly, however, there are independent movements in both of these genres that produce some really good music.

So, today, I'm going to recommend The Streets, a British hip-hop group, and Gorillaz, another hip-hop group.

The Streets makes some great music. I don't know if it's because I don't understand British slang, or because the first thing on their album, A Grand Don't Come For Free, that you notice is the powerful organ on the first track. It's not dirty, it's not low, it's just two British brothers, The Mitchells, laying down some catchy beats. And the album isn't just a loose collection of songs. It tells a continuous, and oftentimes hilarious, story; amazingly enough, the title accurately describes the story. And also check out The Streets' Original Pirate Material.

I don't know much about Gorillaz, because I don't any of their stuff yet. But look here. That links you to a video that was made to go along with one of the songs from the Gorillaz new album- "Feel Good Inc." from Demon Days. Around the part where the windmill comes in for the first time, I realized not only was the video amazing, but that I really liked the song. I can't wait to get Demon Days, because if everything on there is as good as "Feel Good Inc." is, it will be money well spent.