The 'No Drums' Movement

[Greenhornet]

outkast been doing it

 

[Doin2Much Williams]

Greatest song i know with no drums.


Just strings, keys, snares, double-timed hi-hats and bass.





.

 

[Mr. Negative]

Real shyt


This is something I would only want to see from certain MCs. Like Nas, Jay, Currensy, Lupe mostly lyrical and east coast based artists


I wouldnt want that to be a norm in hip hop tho



Imagine a Cheif Keef song with no drums

it really just goes to prove a point I've been saying and using for YEARS to explain to people the difference in "hip hop" and "rap music"... to me, anyway.

Every part of a band or ensemble has a part to play.

But at the same time, somebody like Stevie Wonder or Jimi Hendrix dont need a band to back them up. They can go out and rock the shyt on their own.

An MC's voice is like an instrument. The track compliments them.

But a GREAT MC doesnt need the whole ensemble or, fukk, ANY kind of backing to lay a solo and you love listening.





If you can't listen to your favorite rappers a capella (or with something like percussion missing), then you really arent listening for the rapper.. and they suck as MCs.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Madlib comes to mind. He's been doing this for years. As others have said it really only works if the loop/sample is dope, otherwise it can feel too minimal. Roc's samples and loops are usually very good though so he gets away with it.

 

[Mr. Negative]

I LOVED the technique on Ka's "Grief Pedigree" album.

First time I distinctively remember paying attention to the style was on Alchemist's "Russian Roulette" album, then on the album he did with Domo Genesis.

It threw me for a loop. It's very refreshing.

For some odd reason, it didn't click to me that it's what Jay Electronica was doing when he was "rapping over movie scores".

and no, I dont really care when a producer adds all those high hats and staccato snares. defeats the purpose. that's still percussion.

 

[Torrential]

Jay Elect Eternal Sunshine was even doper because of this

He's the father of the "no drums movement".

 

[DaveyDave]

Can't get with it too much. I like it but the sample/loop has to be dope as shyt IMO not sure I can do a full album of it but some songs here and there if some for the right reason can be ill

 

[California]

lex luger

 

[Flav]

i think Big Krit can pull something like that off real nice.

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

He's the father of the "no drums movement".

Not even close...

Like said in here madlib does this often and rza did over a decade ago... I'll put up examples later. The only thing is its more common at the moment.

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

i think Big Krit can pull something like that off real nice.

The vent is a no drums track and its amazing.

U don't even notice because the bass hits right.

 

[The Bilingual Gringo]

I can't get down w/ this, seems that a lot of the MC's that are flowing over these types of beats seem ho-hum to me. A strong drum and snare loop and a faster and complex flow go together too well.

 

[RTF]

It's working it's way into the mainstream too.

No ID has been flirting with concept. A lot of his have subtle kicks, those staccato hi-hats or but the feeling is the similar.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

I LOVED the technique on Ka's "Grief Pedigree" album.

First time I distinctively remember paying attention to the style was on Alchemist's "Russian Roulette" album, then on the album he did with Domo Genesis.

It threw me for a loop. It's very refreshing.

For some odd reason, it didn't click to me that it's what Jay Electronica was doing when he was "rapping over movie scores".

and no, I dont really care when a producer adds all those high hats and staccato snares. defeats the purpose. that's still percussion.

The Domo album has drums on at least half the joints though, or at least the drums in the sample were fairly strong. I agree with this post completely though. I could be wrong on that about No idols. Gotta listen again. Covert Coup had a great balance.

 

[Mr. Negative]

The Domo album has drums on at least half the joints though, or at least the drums in the sample were fairly strong. I agree with this post completely though. I could be wrong on that about No idols. Gotta listen again. Covert Coup had a great balance.

Well, the Domo album, it wasn't ALL like that, but I was actually paying attention to it, you know?

like Damn, this Alchemist shyt is ill as hell!