• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Hip hop bands (with instruments)

cossie

cossie

Apr 29, 2005
226
1
#1
Hey,

I've been a long time fan of hip hop, and especially bands with live musicians - most notably The Roots.

And I was wondering if anyone gigs in a hip hop band, and how it all works out. In Ireland there isn't a huge scene for hip hop (or at least I haven't found it!) but there are some great acts like Scary Eire, Messiah J and The Expert and most recently The Infomatics.

Cheers

Cossie
 
#6
That's how my band is. We've got an MC and keep it real funky. We went the way of sounding more like Funkadelic, The Roots, James Brown rather than the rap metal of the mid-90's. Real danceable stuff.

We started with one tight drummer, bass and keys and have expanded to two drummers (one switches off to hand percussion from time to time), keys, guitar, synth, bass and sometimes brass. There aren't many other bands like us in the scene, so that helps...you can't screw it up too bad if there isn't much of a comparison.

- Shot on a FlipCam...Sound is really bad
 
#9
Thanks for the replies.

I guess the best way is to pay closer attention to what those bands do and to try get a group of fellow hip hop / rap fans together so we can form our own band.
 
#10
This is one of my favorite local groups, particularly because the live instruments are fantastic:

Link Removed

they have some live videos up there from bonnaroo that sound pretty good.

The drummer and bass player also play together in another band that's in the alternative/indie area. Very tight pair they are.
 
#11
cossie said:
Thanks for the replies.

I guess the best way is to pay closer attention to what those bands do and to try get a group of fellow hip hop / rap fans together so we can form our own band.
Click to expand...



indeed, in the past when ireland didnt have so much "ethnic diversity" you'd be hard pressed to form a hip hop "band" but now it'll be much easier. i'd love to form a covers band doing snoop, dre, quest etc for the laugh.


oh and if you want more irish hip hop check out the now defunct Just A Word from norn iron....they had some great tunes.
 
#12
I like playing along to this type of music, and I think more progressive and forward thinking hip hop artists tend to benefit greatly from a live band / programmed track collaborations.

I admit I don't know too much of real underground hip hop and what is going on outside the slightly out of mainstream, but I think it's cool and has tons of potential. There are alot of artists I can think of withinn the mainstream that pull it off well (Maxwell, Talib, Common, Kanye, Roots, Madlib, Tribe & J5 [i think] etc..) I have flirted with the idea myself of getting in with a live hip-hop type setting...would a 38 year old bassist fit in that setting? I can hold it down, but don't want to look like an ass. I just think it's more exciting than "pumping 8ths" in a RAWK band...
 
#13
Bassmingo said:
indeed, in the past when ireland didnt have so much "ethnic diversity" you'd be hard pressed to form a hip hop "band" but now it'll be much easier. i'd love to form a covers band doing snoop, dre, quest etc for the laugh.
...
Click to expand...

Yeah I was thinking a hip hop / funk covers band would be a good fun. Meeting a guitarist mate of mine on Monday for a jam and I'm going to through the idea out to him.

Bassmingo said:
...
oh and if you want more irish hip hop check out the now defunct Just A Word from norn iron....they had some great tunes.
Click to expand...

Have you checked out irishhiphop.com ? There's a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] with some good stuff there but unfortunately a couple of the earlier links are dead. Not necessarily all instruments, there are a lot of samples and programmed beats.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back