Earl “E-40” Stevens is a nearly 300-pound behemoth who can always be found decked out in the finest, most flamboyant white T-shirt money can buy and a shiny medallion around his neck that costs more than a year’s tuition at UNH. It’s fitting that he is so adorned. Nothing less would do for California’s self-proclaimed “Ambassador of The Bay.” E-40’s hip-hop anthems like “Tell Me When to Go” with Keak da Sneak (the Bill to E-40’s Ted) fuel the excellent adventure that is the new have-some-fun world of
“Hyphy” music.

Hyphy
Earl “E-40” Stevens is a nearly 300-pound behemoth who can always be found decked out in the finest, most flamboyant white T-shirt money can buy and a shiny medallion around his neck that costs more than a year’s tuition at UNH. It’s fitting that he is so adorned. Nothing less would do for California’s self-proclaimed “Ambassador of The Bay.” E-40’s hip-hop anthems like “Tell Me When to Go” with Keak da Sneak (the Bill to E-40’s Ted) fuel the excellent adventure that is the new have-some-fun world of
“Hyphy” music.

Hyphy (a combination of “hyper” and “fly”) is the San Francisco Bay Area’s answer to the dirty south hip-hop musical phenomenon known as “crunk.” Unlike other forms of hip-hop that talk of violence, introspection or social change, Hyphy is unabashedly shallow. It’s a rhythm-heavy soundtrack to getting wasted and having fun, encouraging listeners to “Go Dumb” (hence the aforementioned E-40 anthem “Tell Me When to Go”), which is to say, let go and act stupid on purpose.

E-40 is a leader of the Hyphy scene, and the lingo-laden culture that surrounds it. New terms fall from his lips and into the scene’s lexicon. From “Trappers on the block” (kids who sell illicit drugs on street corners) to “mountain climbers who play the electric guitar” (major label A&R’s) to uber record nerds such as DJ Shadow, everybody is jumping on the hyphy movement.
 
Baile Funk
Speaking of going dumb, we have Britney Spears husband and “You Got Served” extra Kevin Federline pulling a Pat Boone on Baile Funk on his new single “PopoZao.”

Baile Funk is Brazil’s answer to American booty music (think 2 Live Crew if Luke rapped in Portuguese). The sound is characterized by pounding bass lines and samples ranging from oldies and rock to the theme song from “Rocky,” usually accompanied by raunchy lyrics, and it all has a distinctively South American feel.

Baile Funk is slowly gaining fame in America, as most recently witnessed in the Disco D-produced Federline bomb. This track has Federline rapping horribly not only in English, but Portuguese as well, proving that he has that special ability to suck in any language.

For some actual good Baile Funk, look no farther than Bondo Do Role, whose EP “Melo de Taboco” is the first release from the new Mad Decent label. This trio from Curitibais, Brazil is comprised of two DJs and a female MC, and the EP highlights include the title track, which samples Alice in Chain’s “Man in the Box” for some dance floor chaos.

Google these and go dumb!
1. Ross Hogg and B Cause, “Slump and Grind 2”
2. DJ Shadow, fr. Keak da Sneak and Turf Talk “Tell Me
When to Go”
3. Kinsmoke, “On One”
4. Mistah Fab, “Stupid, Dumb, Hyphy”
5. Federation, “Oh I Think They Hyphy”

What else is DJ Beat Pervert listening to? Hear for yourself at beatpervert.blogspot.com.