Tanya Morgan began as a novelty. On the group's debut album, Moonlighting, the crew -- then a trio -- made fun of itself by characterizing its own music as some second-rate tape in a local record store. The project was anything but that. The group's second album, Brooklynati, was a bit more serious, though the rappers made fun of overly aggressive 1990s rap.
Out now, Tanya Morgan's "For Real" is a fully introspective single from its forthcoming Rubber Souls album. Rappers Von Pea and Donwill recall the hip-hop on which they grew up. They wonder if it's cool to be throwback, or if that makes their music too stale. "I usually rock around 92 BPMS," Von Pea raps. "They say I rock like it's '94, but I don't know if that's some kinda flaw." Don's perspective is raw: "Classic don't mean shit/Cause y'all apply the word to works too recent."
The instrumental, produced by 6th Sense, is a wistful blend of jazz and hip-hop, the likes of which were made famous by Gangstarr and A Tribe Called Quest. There's nothing flawed about that.
Listen: Tanya Morgan "For Real"
[via HipHopWired]
