The internet is ablaze with critique and discussion following the recently released music video by French director Romain Gavras for “No Church in the Wild,” the opening track from Jay-Z and Kanye West’s 2011 album, Watch the Throne. As the third song to be made into a music video off of the platinum album, the song deviates from the braggadocio and ego stroking that clouds some of Watch the Throne (and hip hop culture in general) in favor of gritty, visceral visuals.

From the lighting of the first Molotov, the video is turbulent and discomforting. What follows are slow motion shots of open warfare between riot police and disillusioned militant youth, an obvious allusion to the wave of discontent towards establishment that has spread from Tahrir to the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. The video pulls no punches; highlighting the swelling of protesters’ faces as they are doused in pepper spray, and the ferocity in which the mob swarms the police. Statues loom overheard; stoic yet emulative of the chaos bellow.

However, neither side is painted better than the other. We connect the rioters to our modern conceptions of Occupy and the current clashing in Greece and Canada, but nothing is explicitly stated. Rioters loot shops and destroy private property, while police isolate and beat them mercilessly. Neither side shows quarter nor does either side betray motive, making for an apolitical yet totally relevant commentary that conjures the questions of power, hierarchy, and moral accountability that make the track so powerful.

Whatever you take from it, and whichever side of the riot shield you stand on, Gavras set the bar high for hip hop music in terms of what a music video can really be with his incarnation of “No Church in the Wild.”

In honor of Adam Yauch, (MCA) we figured that it would be nice to take a retrospective look at one of the more ambitious and influential records in hip hop culture, the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill (1986).

Listening through, you immediately get a sense of the immortality of the band’s sound. Their experimental hip hop takes you right back to a time when a simple turntable and an inspired MC could nail a track better than the teams of producers and auto tuning that are so popular today. Each band member’s voice is as distinct as the first time you heard “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)” at a crowded house party.

What will stand out more today than on the release is the skill at which the music is mixed together by famed producer, Rick Rubin. In this album we see the beginnings of Rubin’s bare production style, preferring the instruments to punctuate and lift the artists rather than overpower them.

Also, the rock and roll influences that the Boys brought from their band’s humble beginnings as a hardcore punk band permeates the record. Samples from Led Zeppelin set the tone in several tracks, and did you know that the aggressive guitar riffs that drive “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” were recorded by Kerry King, the heavy metal behemoth behind Slayer’s violent sound?

This album represents the scope that hip hop culture can have, the ripeness of the time for experimentation, and what a few talented MCs can get done despite initial critical scorn. License to Ill, and the rest of their career, is the kind of stuff that made the Beastie Boys legends. R.I.P. MCA, you left a mark on hip hop that will never die.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here is the famous video of the live Coachella performance by Tupac. This performance has captivated the hip hop community for a few reasons, namely the realism in which the hologram emulates the legend.

The hologram looked EXACTLY like the late Tupac Shakur as it unleashed a blistering rendition of “Hail Mary” and collaborated with a more tangible Snoop Dogg for “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted.” The Tupac re-creation was minutely detailed down to every muscle, bead of sweat, and swing of his chain. It even showed mobility through using stage space, stepping stage left to address fans during his costar’s verse.

Now any follower of hip hop culture will be able to note that collaboration between living artists and the deceased isn’t a new concept. No less than six studio albums have been released under Tupac’s name since the artist’s untimely death in 1996, many of the tracks being remixes with contemporary recording artists. Tupac’s East Coast stylized counterpart, Biggie Smalls, had at least three posthumous albums released; including the controversial Duets: The Final Chapter, where only half of the recording artists included in the project had even met Christopher Wallace.
This tech is simply amazing, and that is why people are so interested. A produced album made from some tracks left in the studio is one thing, but to see actually see an artificial recreation of a deceased artist, especially an artist as influential and loved as Tupac, was truly mesmerizing.

With rumors of the hologram going on tour with Dre and Snoop a precedent has been set. Performers like the late Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston are sure to follow. And you know Las Vegas casinos are chomping at the bit at the idea of the ultimate Elvis impersonator, or even a full Rat Pack reunion.
This tech is ground breaking, and will be an unforgettable moment in the history of hip hop culture.

Kush Boys' extended fam, multi-platinum producer Adonis & R&B newest sensation Georgia Reign working in the studio with Justin Beiber.

Follow them at @GeorgiaReign & @ThatDudeAdonis