The Seinfeld of Rap

Ok, I stole this from someone. But it's the perfect description for an amazing CD. A Grand Don't Come for Free by The Streets is rap, it's a story, and it's amazing. It's simple. A concept rap album. And at it's surface it's a rap album about nothing. Like the first Streets album, Original Pirate Material, Mike Skinner (AKA The Streets) discusses what it's like being a British everyman. His albums discuss many all important topics like playing PS2, returning DVD's, find the thousand quid he lost, his girlfriend being crazy, and the difficulty of a break up. It's fun, it's funny, and it's sad. A full run of the emotions. Not many musical albums of any genres can achieve laughter and tears. A Grand Don't Come for Free comes close.

During the late sixties the Beatles wrote, A Day in the Life. Now nearly forty years later, Skinner writes an album about a day in the life. Ironically, the Beatles took American rock and roll and made it better, maybe even perfected it. Likewise the Streets takes the idea of American Rap, and adds a little British ingenuity. I find this interesting. The idea of the Brits taking a peace of American culture and improving it. It's especially been evident in music. America gave birth to Rock and Roll, no question about that. But then those post war brits got their hands on Chuck Berry, and Little Richard. They never let go. The rock of the sixties, and seventies still lives today, and it's British.

The question is will this be the same with rap? At some point rap in America will lose some steam. It'll still be popular, but as far as innovation goes, maybe we need to look to our British neighbors? With the Streets, as well as someone like Dizzee Rascal the answer seems to be like the Brits are taking rap to the next level. It hasn't won over America yet, and maybe these two artists won't, but they'll certainly lead the way. Much like the Kinks did for the British invasion.

One thing is for certain no matter what side of the pond you are on, A Grand Don't Come for Free.