Big Village - Big Things Vol. 2 (02/09/2013)
When a compilation CD is produced, it often symbolizes a large move forward for the record label developing the album.
During the golden age of American hip-hop, major record labels would put together a compilation of their greatest artist and in turn, drew their greatest strengths and weaknesses. From the likes of Bad Boy Records to Ruff Ryders Entertainment, it not only gave leverage to the labels but also applauded the artists individually, as in the case of Bad Boy Records releasing the Greatest Hits Compilation by the famed Notorious B.I.G. So, when an Australian Hip Hop label ‘Big Village’ decided to give it a turn with their album ‘Big Things Volume Two’, I was prompted the question: Can they measure to the states?
Featuring artists such as Jeswon, Rapaport and Mikeon. Each rapper does their job distinctively, enough so that they hold up their end with a unique individual style of rhyming. The mixture between all the respective rappers acts as the heart of this compilation album creating one of the most entertaining hip-hop releases so far.
The family of Big Village is given a high-rise on the second song of the album ‘This is That’, displaying the skills of each rapper signed to the label.
This display of force is seen again in Reverse Polarities’ ‘Big’, Ellesquire verses in ‘Neither Regions’ and Loose Change’s take on classic hip-hop on ‘Ode to the Breadmaker’.
Compared to our American counterparts, Australian hip-hop artists still have large grounds to cover, but from the socially conscious topics, the rhyme fests and the beats, ‘Big Things Volume Two’, does some justice.
Jason Cheung
During the golden age of American hip-hop, major record labels would put together a compilation of their greatest artist and in turn, drew their greatest strengths and weaknesses. From the likes of Bad Boy Records to Ruff Ryders Entertainment, it not only gave leverage to the labels but also applauded the artists individually, as in the case of Bad Boy Records releasing the Greatest Hits Compilation by the famed Notorious B.I.G. So, when an Australian Hip Hop label ‘Big Village’ decided to give it a turn with their album ‘Big Things Volume Two’, I was prompted the question: Can they measure to the states?
Featuring artists such as Jeswon, Rapaport and Mikeon. Each rapper does their job distinctively, enough so that they hold up their end with a unique individual style of rhyming. The mixture between all the respective rappers acts as the heart of this compilation album creating one of the most entertaining hip-hop releases so far.
The family of Big Village is given a high-rise on the second song of the album ‘This is That’, displaying the skills of each rapper signed to the label.
This display of force is seen again in Reverse Polarities’ ‘Big’, Ellesquire verses in ‘Neither Regions’ and Loose Change’s take on classic hip-hop on ‘Ode to the Breadmaker’.
Compared to our American counterparts, Australian hip-hop artists still have large grounds to cover, but from the socially conscious topics, the rhyme fests and the beats, ‘Big Things Volume Two’, does some justice.
Jason Cheung