Homegrown Hip-Hop Heroes

I think Scotland's a great breeding ground for talent mainly because there's lots of us doing it, and it's a lot harder to break through than down south, so when we manage to, we're fierce, says Vigilante of Great Ezcape. Meet a new generation of hip-hop artists based in Scotland, doing things on their own terms, releasing online, or on small local labels.

GREAT EZCAPE
Great Ezcape is a collaboration between American-born d&b producer Vigilante and former Scotland Yard MC Profisee, who bonded over a mutual disaffection with their respective scenes. Their hip-hop is heavily influenced by drum and bass, breaks and electronic music: "I think of it as modern music," says Vigilante. "I don't think my sequencer knew what hit it the day I dropped the tempo!" MC Profisee agrees that the infusion of their hip-hop with dance music has raised their game: "Being able to spit on different rhythms and tempo adds to the overall delivery and intensity," he says. Profisee's time with the Yard MCs and affiliation with d&b clubs like Manga and Obscene has changed his lyrical perspective too: "The power of the word is deep; it can be living and active, and sharp as a double-edged sword. I just try to express that. It might not always come out positive, but it will always reflect the essence." On tunes like the sublimely heavy Blessed Thing, you can see what he means, his lyrics clear-eyed, optimistic, but also uncompromising. With Great Ezcape, Scotland finally has a band that can rival the musical and lyrical intensity London's grime crews.

Great Ezcape's debut EP 'Escapades' is out in March – details on www.myspace.com/greatezcape

B-BURG
"Sampling is an amazingly free way to make music. It's like taking someone else's colours and painting your own picture," says B-Burg, AKA Chris Hall, the multi-talented producer behind 'Dessert Island Disco.' He is also a jazz musician, guitarist with Edinburgh's Livesciences, whose LVS label will be releasing his debut, a Local Product 12" already under his belt. "It really began as a few concept/situational storyline-kind of tracks that I started to put together about five years ago," says Chris. Collaborations with MCs such as the 'Sciences own J Seal, Jee4ce, Mr Hiz, and the Solaar-style French rhymes of 1SP give the album traditional hip-hop appeal. Aside from the puns, jokes and rhymes, many of his instrumental tunes are very heartfelt: "In one sense it is a situational scene about being lost in a forest at night, being deep in the heart of something and being out of your depth," syas Chris of Flies in the Night. "It also carries the viewpoint of being at home in such a place, with the flute representing a bird's flight and the scratch representing the sound of its cry in the night. The vocal samples are there to set the scene show that before you know it, if you aren't careful, you can be lost, literally or metaphorically." The effect of such visual/aural clarity is spellbinding – see for yourselves.

B-Burg's 'Dessert Island Disco' is out late March on LVS – check www.lvsrecords.co.uk for details. B-Burg is a resident at Solid Steel, bi-monthly at the Bongo Club, this month featuring guest DJ Bonobo (Ninja Tune)

KOBRA AUDIO LABS
"I think I'm scottish hip-hop but a lot of B-boys might disagree," says Mark Scanlan, AKA Kobra Audio Labs, the moniker under which he produces some beautifully twisted instrumental hip-hop. The elegant aural dystopias he weaves on his debut release 'Sunshine, Shadows & Luck' have a lot in common with the RZA's sparse productions on early Wu-Tang material, or Andy Smith's caustic beatwork on Portishead's second LP. The titles seem political, such as We Have The Strength But We Don't Have The Will: "Its kind of political," responds Mark, "…and about apathy. But it's more of a reflection on historical events like the World Wars, the Spanish Civil War, the Miners' Strike. It's hard for me to break it down. The title is the opposite of the sound of the music, which sounds like it's on its last legs." Future collaborations with members of Telstar Ponies and Porch Song Anthologies aside, Mark wants to build on the great reception his album has received, and gain some new listeners. "If Ghostface or Mogwai would like a remix I'm available," he adds.

'Sunshine Shadows & Luck' is out now on Dumb Hero Records. Check www.kobra-audio.co.uk or www.dumb-hero.co.uk for more details.