RaindropHustla

Progressive Rock.

The illegitimate father of conscious hip hop. Prog Rock’s balancing act between it’s own pretentious goals, which once executed, came closer to self-parody than not, laid the blueprint. If it’s KRS’ or Hova’s blueprint, is ultimately up to which side of the Jurassic Jansport debate you fall on. Prog Rock was too “intelligent” to be confused with pop 3 chord masterpieces, yet, if embodied in the human form, would most likely collect public assistance and be incapable of holding remedial employment beyond six months. Prog is the scurvy fella your mom met when he was a roadie on Def Leppard’s PyroMania! tour, burnt out, 20 sided die in his pocket.

The musical connection between the two styles is an implausible stretch. The only logical connection that you could surmise would be through sampling, but most of the modern day conscious hip hop production relies on the same CTI joints Q-Tip thought were played out 20 years ago. The only connection of true merit is that both sub-genre’s share a ridiculously ambiguous name that the labeled artists hate.

Those grains of truth sewn throughout both genres of music serves as the foundation of why I enjoy them. When a rapper says something naughty about Republicans, I laugh the same way when I pick up an old prog classic with a bare breasted woman throwing a battle-axe at a Centaur as the cover art. Embracing your own stereotypes is a great way to get burn, but these type of candles burn quickly, and lose their luster. Once the flame goes out, all we’re left is a physical copy of recorded history when 4 guys could get together, smoke hash, talk about dragons (and shit), and get a one-off deal with RCA.

With that said - Dave Segal from The Stranger has been posting prog/psych gems on Line-Out for a minute. I’m a firm believer in paying it forward, and with the power granted to me from the Halls of Valhalla, I proudly present:

Please peep the first jawn from my collection of awesome prog weirdness.

However, being the stingy bastard I am, I’m not the guy to give track names, or any details about the artists - that is work that is easily solved by spending time digging for records. Besides, this one is off limits for sampling. It’s too good, and it’s a safe bet, Producer-Guy, you’re gonna put too many cooks in this rocking kitchen, and ruin the recipe. Less Soundclick, More Basil (Polidouris that is) young Padewans.