D is for ‘Dancehall Electro Hip Hop’ – ℅ P-Money and Gappy Ranks

Hip hop I love, most Dancehall not. The only dancehall music I have in my collection are videos from live shows in Jamaica.

But dancehall melded with hip hop, that’s a different story – one I’m more into hearing. Dancehall joins my cd collection for the first time in the form of P-Money and Gappy Rank’s new dancehall/electro/hip hop EP The Baddest.

P-Money and Gappy Ranks - The Baddest EP (2014)

P-Money and Gappy Ranks – The Baddest EP (2014)

‘D’ then in Beaver’s A to Z of Fusion goes to ‘Dancehall Electro Hip Hop’ – care of P-Money and Gappy Ranks. Their collaboration on this EP is another example of the very cool musical things that happen when artists from different parts of the world get together, mix up music styles and create unique new sounds.

The Lighter ‘D’: P-Money and Gappy Ranks

P-Money if you don’t know, is a hip-hop DJ and producer from the magical musical lands of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The Baddest is released by P-Money in decade no. 2 of having his production fingers in many solo and collaborative musical pies. P-Money’s craftsmanship on The Baddest EP is impressive as always – and ultimately the reason a dancehall cd made its way into my collection to stay.

Gappy Ranks hails from England. He’s responsible for vocals and/or production on a long list of dancehall music releases he’s made solo or with other artists from the U.K, Europe and Jamaica – including the Jamaican ‘King of Dancehall’ himself, Beenie Man.  His vocals on The Baddest are a good match for P-Money’s production.

P-Money and Gappy Ranks

P-Money and Gappy Ranks

The EP has 8 beautifully-bass-heavy tracks, each sounding more electro, or dancehall, or hip-hop flavoured than the next. Three are remixed versions of the opening song (and previously released single) ‘Baddest’. One is by Houston producer Ape Drums and another (sampled below) features New Zealand hip hop MC Sid Diamond (aka Young Sid).

P-Money and Gappy Ranks - The Baddest EP (2014)

The Baddest might have snuck its dancehall ways into my music collection for its hip hop (and P-Money) ways, but it is still dancehall. That means lyrically you’ll get light.  Gappy Ranks swears his love for his Mamma til he dies, wants us to follow him on Instagram, affirms his remaining loyalty to the “old crew” now his dreams have come true and boasts of being “sicker than bipolar”. You get the idea yes?

You can check out sample tracks from The Baddest EP  here. They’re just mp3’s. If you want to hear all the sounds P-Money and Gappy Ranks recorded, order the EP in hard copy from Amplifer or get it on your feet at a good record store 🙂 .

P-Money and Gappy Ranks - The Baddest EP (2014)

P-Money and Gappy Ranks – The Baddest EP (2014)

P-Money and Gappy Ranks – ‘Fire Shot’ – The Baddest 

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P-Money and Gappy Ranks – ‘Baddest (Remix feat. Sid Diamond)’ – The Baddest

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The Darker ‘D’s

D’ definitely has some darker ‘fusions’ than the light dancehall/electro/hip hop one P-Money and Gappy Ranks have delivered with The Baddest EP:-

Darkstep – a style of darkcore jungle that takes its signature sinister feel and fuses it with upbeat breakbeats and ambient noises, creating an excessively chaotic tone.

Deathcore – fusion of death and punk metal.

Deathdoom – fusion of death and doom metal.

Deathgrind – fusion of death metal and grindcore.

Death industrial – fusion of death and industrial metal, linked heavily to the power electronics scene.

I’m pretty sure the fusions starting with ‘dark’ and ‘death’ won’t ever find their way into my music collection like P-Money and Gappy Ranks’ has.

What about yours?

P-Money and Gappy Ranks