Leeds Hip Hop Scene

When we were setting up this site earlier in the year I came across a group of DJ’s in the area working together under the banner of White Eyed Tigers, and so of course as part of my role to bring you the latest goings on I jumped in feet first and got chatting to DJ esSDee.  So who are the White Eyed Tigers well there’s Irn Mnky (Iron Monkey) - DJ, producer, remixer - who has appeared in the Sun earlier in the year for his mash ups of mixing together tracks from the Beatie Boys and Oasis to Pirates of the Carribean and Jay Z, then there’s Boogie another DJ and web spinner, Don R who’s a DJ and also takes on the guise Chief Networker and finally esSDee who describes himself as a crate digger and scratch DJ. So the other day I get an email from esSDee telling me that he’s posted me a copy of his mix CD and sure enough the postie delivered my copy the next day just before I left for work, after finally negotiating another successful eight hour skive I got home and whacked the CD in my system.

The mix CD comprises of 35 tracks, the execution of the mixing is high and the flow of the tracks is simple yet intelligent - you can rarely tell where one track ends and another begins. esSDee’s scratching abilities are also of a high standard, you can see that the DJ is taking is on a journey of the music in his life as eras and periods flow into one another. The CD starts with some funk and soul beats before moving into an AC/DC, Michael Jackson induced wave of the 80’s even “Eye of The Tiger” is mixed in for good measure on this ride through esSDee’s experiences and influences. The CD does not try to take itself seriously while featuring quotes from modern pop culture such as Mr T and the Flintstones providing just about the right level of humor and as these DJ’s describe themselves on their site they are party DJ’s playing soul, funk, hip hop and throwing in the odd stupid movie quote and this mixtape is exactly that. Even Hip Hop Hooray rears its head to make you sing along in the set.On the penulitimate track we are introduced to the Berkshire emcee Mr Phlo, who provides a well delivered few bars on this joint, this track has featured on BBC 1xtra and is a great track that you’d love to hear in the club or at a party.   I really enjoyed this mix cd and how esSDee was not afraid to mix rock into this set of funk and hip hop - this is the kind of set I enjoy almost DJ Yoda-esque not afraid to throw in a skit or not been afraid to mix completely different genres of music together to make things flow - my only dissappointment was that it lasts 44 minutes as I would have liked to see where he could have taken it on from where he leaves us. But for a few quid who am I to complain so go get yourself over there www.whiteeyedtigers.com and buy it and whilst you are there download or listen to some of the other tracks and cd’s these lads have produced. You won’t be dissappointed and I am going to look forward to reviewing more CD’s from the White Eyed Tigers soon.

Oh yeah and esSDee where can I get one of them Adidas Leather jackets from!!!!

Ed