I’ve not been listening to music much the last couple of weeks and seeing as what I want to hear is this kind of syrup-sluiced corn-hop you’re doubtless thinking that’s NO BAD THING, anyway I’ve not even put the radio on, not even heard the Girls Aloud record so Bone Thugs featuring Horrible Tory Phil must be reckoned my favourite single of May 03! I don’t have a copy of this magnificent pop artefact to hand so close analysis is impossible – Bone Thugs rap very fast over some plinkety backing and it’s manipulative like being tickled and then it swoops into a bit of Phil from some rotten old record. It sounds cheap and grand.
Black-Eyed Peas’ record is even more winningly groansome. Of course it’s notable that J-Tim’s credibility grab has worked to the point where he’s now the featured rather than the featuree – his contribution is some dove-mouthed mush on the chorus, a moment’s work but it gives the Peas’ folksy positivity a big lift. The Peas’ world is a troubling one, full of fear and war, but you feel it’s nothing a few string samples won’t cure.