Most every hip hop head has heard jazzy hip hop and its unanimous greats – A Tribe Called Quest, J Dilla, Pete Rock, the list goes on and on. But what about the reverse of that? Hip hop turned…jazz? Meet Yuki “monolog” Kanesaka, a multi-instrumentalist, graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston (one of the most, if not the most prestigious music college in the world) and brain-child of all things great in jazz and hip hop music. As was popular with Will Sessions on their album Mix Takes, monolog dives in to the wonderful world of hip hop and puts his knowledgeable, unique and essentially mind-blowing jazzy twist on some of the genre’s most beloved classics on his album, Re:Live – Jazz Meets Hip Hop Classics.
This isn’t only remaking the beats, however, no no. monolog takes a Pete Rock & CL Smooth joint, a Common joint, a Nas joint, all the way to a Dre joint and completely spins them in a whole new, yet recognizable fashion. Now some of these tracks are already jazzy as is, but Yuki throws down some of that ingenious Berklee skill and turns these drum machine and microphone songs into full out orchestrated jazz sets. Not only that, but lyricists accompany Mr. Kanesaka and provide some of the familiar vocals from the various tracks; for example, on “The World Is Yours,” singers chant the ever-familiar hook over the jazzy reincarnation of the hip hop classic. The re-evolution of sound that monolog develops on this project is utterly astounding in the most beautiful of ways.
On tracks like “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey),” the hip hop element is still strong as a heavy beat break kicks in and even some record scratches spill over the funky rhythm and the live-instrumentation, horns and all, boom through your speakers. The great and harmonious melting pot of hip hop and jazz is silky smooth, pure and divine. Fans of these tracks would really appreciate the jazzy re-do and jazz fans, if they don’t already, would find much interest in these old-school hip hop-inspired gems.
Exploring a multitude of sounds and auras on Re:Live, monolog utilizes a myriad of instruments to create these diverse, but definitely classic soundscapes. Synths dominate his remake of Aalyiah‘s “Back and Forth,” while a heart-stopping horn sings out the harmony on his twist of The Pharcyde‘s “Runnin’.” And as previously stated, the added vocals assist Yuki on some tracks and really add some spice and even more familiarity to the songs.
Some of these remakes are jaw-dropping, some are just knock-out tracks sure to leave you floored, and the rest are the perfect soundtrack to your nighttime ritual(s). monolog embellishes everything that is to love about jazz and hip hop on Re:Live. Yuki Kanesaka took hip hop classics from true hip hop legends and turned them into modern-day marvels by forming them into jazz sets and re-instilling their glory. Remember the first time you heard tracks like “Excursions” by A Tribe Called Quest or “Brown Sugar” by D’Angelo? Well, I’m sure that hearing these tracks will bring those feelings right back.
Yuki “monolog” Kanesaka is a revolutionary musician. A multi-instrumentalist with a drive to create dope music, monolog made me fall in love with these tracks all over again, and I’m sure he will for you too. Please give this project a chance and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. One of the greatest jazz-hip hop fusion projects I’ve heard in my life, hand’s down; Re:Live – Jazz Meets Hip Hop Classics by monolog is an album that will go down in my book as one of the finest jazzy hip hop projects, period. Quote me. So, my rating…
10/10
I recommend this album to any fan of classic/old-school hip hop, and essentially any jazz fan could find a lot of lovin’ with this album.
Tracklisting:
1) Lots of Lovin’ – [Pete Rock & CL Smooth]
2) Ressurection – [Common]
3) The World Is Yours – [Nas]
4) Everybody Loves Sunshine – [Roy Ayers]
5) Still Not a Player – [Big Pun]
6) Excursions – [A Tribe Called Quest]
7) Mass Appeal – [Gang Starr]
8) East Side LB – [Twinz (feat. Warren G)]
9) Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) – [De La Soul]
10) Joints & Jams – [The Black Eyed Peas]
11) Back and Forth – [Aaliyah]
12) Brown Sugar – [D’Angelo]
13) Make It Last Forever – [Keith Sweat]
14) Runnin’ – [The Pharcyde]
15) Sky’s the Limit – [The Notorious B.I.G.]
16) The Crossroads – [Bone Thugs-n-Harmony]
17) The Next Episode – [Dr. Dre]
