Spank me!

So, as you can probably tell from the 39 other postings of MOR, I do not listen to a lot of hip-hop or rap. More than anything this is a reflection of my time constraints - I already spend approx. 10-12 hours a week listening, reading about, and going to see new music from the punk rock/alt rock/indie scenes that I've frequented for years. Trying to break into any sort of knowledge about the hip-hop and/or rap scene seems daunting and virtually impossible to do with any sort of knowledge.

That being said, I've been hearing rumblings about a Baltimore-based hip-hop band Spank Rock on my usual new music outlets for a while now, and when the opportunity to see them for free at McCarren park popped up I figured I'd take a ride on the L train and see what the hype is all about.

It. Was. Worth. It. Spank Rock totally threw me for a loop, had me dancing and up in the fray. They are fantastic performers mixing beats, lyrics and infused melodies that get the crowd dancing before they are even on the stage. MC Spank Rock (Naeem Juwan) is electric - energy pumping from his fists as he rocks ridiculously tight jeans, a stiff trucker's hat and reebok high tops. Meanwhile, Armani XXXchange (Alex Epton) is the driving force behind Spank Rock's mixing capabilities which sample hip-hop songs spanning from the 70s to today.

Especially exhilirating about their show was the way they mixed in their fans and supporting friends and family. Amanda Blank - another fantastic performer from Philly - got on stage to perform two songs with her backup. And for the final songs Spank Rock brought out their entire crew from backstage, only to one up themselves by bringing out M.I.A. to sing a song. Ridiculous.

I think part of the reason that Spank Rock is so successful at making music is their background spanning several musical categories. Naeem started out rapping when he was in 8th grade, but later became a punk rock fanatic. Meanwhile Alex studied music his entire life and attended the New England Conservatory of Music.

Regardless of their backgrounds, these guys have some serious musical abilities and are fantastic live. Anyone on the east coast who can get to see them while they are touring this fall I highly recommend it (they will be in NY in Sept and Oct).

www.myspace.com/spankrock

Download: Backyard Betty, Blow