Classic der Dicke – Hustler
Written on 26 November 2024 by Ben Hudgins
Hip hop was my first love, the first music that I embraced without guidance from my parents. It was the early 1980s and whilst the culture had been born a decade earlier in New York City, it was still a mere shadow of the global phenomenon it would become in later years. Rock n’ roll still dominated the airwaves, but if you lived in the inner city, hip hop was king.
This was the time when the artform was establishing its own identity beyond being the little brother to funk, soul and disco. Producers had begun to program their own beats, going beyond “two turntables and a microphone”, but not to be outdone, DJs also continued to expand their arsenal of techniques, as simple scratching and looping evolved into “turntablism”.
True, the skeletal beats of early Run DMC, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, and other 80s heavies hit hard as hell, but for me the true musicality of hip hop blossomed with the evolution of Boom Bap. The thick, organic sound, the polyrhythms, and the sheer WEIGHT of the vibe spoke to me in a way that other production approaches had not (and have not since). And whilst three paragraphs of nostalgic lead up might not seem to be the best way to introduce a record released in 2024, I thought it important that you understand the headspace I’m coming from.
Because this is a quintessential boom bap record.
The instrumental tracks presented herein are lushly produced, the bedrock beats beautifully augmented with jazzy loops and fat, funky basslines. This is perfect chillout lounge material, as every head-noddy tune evokes visions of dimly lit spaces best enjoyed with a cigar and a glass of very old scotch in hand.
The vibe here is unapologetically classic (no pun intended), a homage to an era when producers first began to transform dusty jazz, soul, and funk records into gold, crafting beats that weren’t just backdrops, but full-on experiences. These instrumentals capture that spirit: textured and layered, with just the right amount of grit to remind you that this music is born of the streets, even when dressed to impress.
The production feels both nostalgic and fresh, seamlessly weaving the rawness of boom bap’s heyday with a modern polish. Tracks flow like conversations between instruments, horn stabs and piano riffs sparring with the basslines and beats in perfect harmony. It’s music that respects the old-school ethos while refusing to be stuck in it; a celebration of where hip hop has been and where it can still go.
While each track can stand alone, they’re best experienced as a collective. Together, they create a soundscape that ebbs and flows between moments of introspection and head-nodding groove. There’s an elegance to the arrangement, with no filler and no wasted space. It’s a record that rewards active listening, but also knows how to kick back and let the beats do the talking.
If you’re a connoisseur of the classic boom bap aesthetic, this record will hit like a long-lost gem dug out of the crates. If you’re new to the sound? Consider this an initiation and a primer; a sonic guidebook to a timeless style of hip hop that’s as relevant now as it was in its golden age.
