Little Brother’s Chitlin Circuit 1.5 Mixtape: Get High on Hip-Hop

As additional recipients of the Pete Rock virus, Little Brother’s vigorous hip-hop excites pleasurable fevers in the ear, head and soul. 9th Wonder’s magic sounds gratifies hip-hop drunkies in a botanical made of throbbing bass beats, bebop horns and direct lyrical delivery. Theirs is a sublime experience that takes a time capsule of the Golden Age and breaks it open in the middle of North Carolina in 2005.

The ultimate result is a distinct set of emcees rapping about the ordinary over 9th Wonder’s beats that ambush the pleasure principle headfirst. These so-called cut-outs and b-sides from the studios of North Carolina’s newest stars mesmerizes by curing jazz samples into fluid head trips of boombastic pleasure.

In the absence of Tribe (who they pay open tribute to), Digable, Jurassic, the regrouping of Slum (Elzi guests on TMS,) and The Fugees, LB is representing fully for hip-hop groups.

The Listening was a little-known debut that traveled among the most loyal hip-hoppers. The strength of that album lead to the group’s signing with Atlantic and the current project The Minstrel Show. This second LP lifts wonderful soul samples into their world, and is a must-have for true heads. It is a fun poke at modern-day minstrelsy in Black music as it observes hip-hop’s best aesthetics of able lyrics and sterling production.

The Chitlin’ Circuit was the network of southern clubs that Black performers had to tour before integration to reach their mostly Black audiences. Titling this collection after that experience speaks to LB’s desire to keep their music intact without any commercial concessions that being said, TCC is much more aggressive and located in the boom-bap than the other two releases.

This is why the mixtape exists; to give the fans straight music without corporate meddling which is probably why TCC 1.5 is the best LB release to date. Hypocritical bohemian rappers are jabbed on the instantly memorable remix of “The Yo-Yo.” that chides a lack of pork-chops with an infectious melody and a James Jamerson bass. Tweeters and woofers knock hard from pounding the best song on the tape, “Flash and Flare” Feat. L.E.G.A.C.Y.

9th Wonder and DJ Flash return to Quincy Jone’s song from “The Wiz” soundtrack and encapsulate the sexy sax and female seductive purring into the perfect accessory for the hottest dancers at an adult club. Swirling ambient notes mimicking a cyclone, Phonte’s quietstorm-type flow and some syncopated rhythm play retouch “Night Maneuvers”.

LB’s lofty status as the new saviors of hip-hop is no secret to them and they brag about it on “Altitudes.” Falsetto soul sings back-up on the track of guitar breaks and stone beats. Big Daddy Kane’s baritone bears down on “Welcome To Durham” with a poetic revelation that very little separates the south from the north. Kane sounds timeless in the cut succeeded by a twangy southern soul wail that could be coming from Anthony Hamilton.

Joe Scudda creates anticipation for more of his rapping in the raw promises of “Third Party” amidst slithering clarinet, foolish muttering and tambourine. One beautiful thing about hip-hop is its ability to take a Chitlin’ Circuit oriented music and make the world feel it. TCC 1.5 pays homage to the true blueprint of hip-hop’s Chitlin past, present and future by offering their honest interpretation of why a healthy perspective on “pork”(the raw elements of the music/culture) are essential to hip-hop.