Often when complaints are levied against revivalist or true-school leaning rap on the internet, they seem to ignore the notion that this music exists–and draws reactions–beyond computer screens and speakers. On their new single “Fool’s Gold,” emcees Salomon Faye and Enasni Leber of arts collective and RATKING affiliaties THEillUZiON provide a glimpse at how much fun classicism can be.
“Fool’s Gold” is a big, positive soul-sampler, a bit closer in feel to early 2000s Roc-a-fella (Kanye and Just Blaze would’ve worked wonders with these organs in their loop-chopping heydeys) and mid-2000s Rhymesayers (it’s easy to imagine Brother Ali stomping all over a beat like this in his Shadows on the Sun and Champion days) than sort of songs that influence rappers like Joey Badass and Bishop Nehru. As a result, it sounds reverent of the past while feeling a bit more in touch with attempts to energize the present. It has a bounce and an energy often lacking from attempts to bring back the chops that DJ Premier perfected 15 years ago.
The video for “Fool’s Gold” adds important dimension to the music. To see these particular sounds tied to a real context–a party, a dank basement, a real group of reactive, young people–gives breathing context to the sort of revivalism that critics seemingly vacu-sealed revivalism.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Faye and Leber acquit themselves nicely on the mic, either.
Watch the video for “Fool’s Gold” and download the track below.
