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Voices carry
Akrobatik signs to Fat Beats, Insight goes crazy
BY DAVID DAY
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For years, the idea that Boston hip-hop is about to blow has been a mantra for the local scene. Recent developments, however, seem to be fulfilling the prophecy. "I think it’s really important that we continue to put out quality releases," says AKROBATIK (a/k/a J. Bridgeman), one of the leading lights in Bosstown hip-hop. "I’m hoping that things like Rolling Stone showin’ us love and the acclaim that cats like Edan and others are getting will continue to get folks lookin’ our way and taking us seriously throughout the industry — and not just locally." Bridgeman is referring to Rolling Stone’s Best Albums of 2005 list, which put the debut album by the PERCEPTIONISTS, his group with MR. LIF, at #36, sandwiched between discs by Missy Elliott and LCD Soundsystem. The term Rolling Stone used was "luxuriant funk." The trio (rounded out by DJ FAKTS ONE) recently returned from a 2005 tour that saw them sharing stages with Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Common, and . . . Ozzy Osbourne (in Germany, naturally). "This year was the most fun I’ve ever had touring. The Perceptionists’ live show hit a peak by the fall that I have never experienced on stage." Even more to the point, Akrobatik just signed a solo deal with the internationally respected New York City imprint Fat Beats. The label, which has a storefront on East Ninth Street in Manhattan, has released records by Mos Def, Jurassic 5, Atmosphere, and Kool Keith. "It’s a great feeling, man. I mean, think about it. There are thousands of rappers in NY who would probably like to be signed to Fat Beats, and them reaching out to me says a lot for what I’ve done up to now, and lets me know that people definitely have their eyes on Boston and our artists." AK already has his producers in line. For now, ILLMIND (Remind My Soul) is on board, as are the BEATMINERZ, WILLIE EVANS JR., and DJ THERAPY. "I have a few aces in the hole as well, but I don’t wanna jinx anything just yet." He plays the Abbey Lounge this Saturday with PEANUT BUTTER WOLF and the LAST EMPEROR — but oh, before you go running over to Inman Square, that’s the Abbey Lounge in Chicago. "I’m lookin’ forward to tryin out the new joints in Chicago, because it’s always live out there." Not that anything could make him give up his trademark New England Patriots jersey, which he wears everywhere. (The Perceptionists once toasted the Super Bowl team in a mixtape track titled "The Razor.") "The Pats are untouchable, they have already given us enough memories to last us a lifetime. They are a dynasty, hands down. The scary part is that I think they can do it again. I’m just gonna sit back and enjoy the ride." Not to be overlooked is the new album from INSIGHT — but the thing is damn hard to buy. The Boston MC released his The Illusive Avenues of 6 Intristic Musicians on Bad News Records out of Japan. Available at the label’s Web site for $20 (¥2400), the CD, his fifth release, is a brain twister of six aliases. That’s right: all six MCs on the album — Quiz Verbal, Jaquan Ali, Red D Rock G, Hakim Rock, Kaju Dash, and BussDatz — are Insight alter egos; combined they call themselves SOLOPLEXUS. The album expands on territory Insight trod with "Seventeen MCs" on his last domestic release, The Blast Radius, wherein he performed as, yes, 17 different MCs. This mad genius does his own beats almost exclusively and produces his own sounds; he even designed his Web site (www.insight.fm). Sometime collaborator and tour mate EDAN summed it up best when he told CMJ, "Everything Insight does is dope." BEAT RESEARCH continues to confound us with the status of the guests it’s bringing in week after week. The Monday-night production at Central Square’s Enormous Room gets a super special treat January 16 when ECLECTIC METHOD drop in to perform. The Method are a two-man crew of video mixers from Great Britain who layer music videos over music videos in time to the music mix. Sounds simple, but try doing it with, say, 60 videos in 60 minutes and making a statement all at once. Their style is the standard by which other video mix artists are judged. Of course, all this is brought to you by the number free. David Day spins Thursdays at Middlesex Lounge and Fridays at Enormous Room. He can be reached at circuits@squar3.com.
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