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I'm a designer in Vancouver, Canada. I work at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, am a director of the 221A Artist Run Centre, and a member of Fieldwork design collective. I'm an Emily Carr and University of Victoria graduate and have worked in the Philippines, Indonesia and the Netherlands. I'm a cycling advocate and race on the Garneau Evolution team.

Music, October 15, 2004 1:58 AM 0 comments

Streets: A Grand Don't Come For Free

I relate well to white rappers. I really liked the debut Streets (Mike Skinner) release and at first I was a little uncomfortable with his latest release, A Grand Don't Come For Free. It sounded, well, like a draft work for a final product, less pumped and fat (well, except maybe "Twat" and "Fit"), more stilted, slow, burnt. But it's simple 11-track narrative concept--about a guy who losses his savings, accuses his roommates of taking it, starts spiralling out of control--is actually compelling. The music is always simple, but that down-tempo thundering brass loop on the opening track just sucks me in and I always stay around till the end. Part of it is just digging and deciphering the slang. And where I go from loving MC Paul Barman's rapid fire alliteration, Skinner's slow-paced Brit slang is so evenly spaced, I enjoy ticking along with it. It feels like an honest album, ambitious even, having a concept hip hop album.