What's really in a name? Sure, a rose by any other would smell as sweet, but what about a lo-fi Philly hardcore/hip-hop band? Will their skuzzy, spazzy tunes get the attention they deserve if their band name becomes an indistinct cluster of letters? Originally named for an amalgamation of defunct punks the Yah Mos and rapper Mos Def, the Yah Mos Def announced its genre-splicing intentions up front with a name that honored both their punk and hip-hop lineage. But they were forced to rethink their handle when their namesake rapper didn't get the joke and petitioned MySpace to remove their page. Now, sadly, their initialed name means about as much as EMF's.
But don't let those bland initials deter you; there is absolutely nothing bland about this debut. Coming on like License to Ill-era Beastie Boys, these vegans from the Philadelphia hardcore scene have built hard-edged, DIY party tracks out of cheap, scratchy beats, old-school boasting, kitschy pop culture references, and nasal, white-boy patter. But what sets Distro and B. Awesome (according to their mothers, Rick Mitchell and Bryan Poerner) apart is the all-encompassing spirit of their punk/rap fusion. Though they rely on the sample-heavy techniques of hip-hop (albeit with much rawer production), their reference points are punk outfits like Franklin and Cap'n Jazz.
The 10-track, 27-minute album wastes no time in announcing its intentions. Kicking off with the barely 15-second "track" "Hiltz Is Hot", which, named for Philly punk legend/former drummer of Born Against Jon Hiltz, is basically just Born Against's "Neil" with one small change. Thanks to a cheap cut'n'paste job, the YMD have inserted their band's name into the infamous line, "Hello shit. We're Born Against. Now suck my fucking lizard." Then Distro and B. Awesome immediately careen into "Charles Maggio's Real Last Name Is Ash", which takes its title from the Rorschach frontman/Gern Blandsten founder. Introducing their sense of humor, points of view, and B. Awesome's snotty, Ad-Rock-on-helium flow, the track encompasses rhymes about former notorious Philadelphia mayor Wilson Goode, Ian Svenonius, Weston, Rakim, and Bel Biv DeVoe ("I'm Michael Bivins/ ABC's how I make a living/ Your skills are starved/ Getting carved like Thanksgiving").
Even though they make a lot of jokes, don't make the mistake of dismissing them as one. Yes, their songs are strewn with blink-and-you'll-miss-'em scene in-jokes and winking braggadocio ("We're flossing MCs like a fucking dentist"), but the YMD isn't MC Lars. In between playing Name That Tune with the samples and recognizing silly shout-outs to the Gordon Gartrelle shirt that Denise made Theo on The Cosby Show, you will be sucked in by the infectious, nerdy joy of these songs. Will those in the know love "Global Liberation Army" more because they recognize Ian MacKaye's cheeky introduction to Beefeater's House Burning Down? Sure, but those that don't know Ian MacKaye from Ian McKellen will enjoy the feedback-drenched track, its adrenalized drums and the charmingly amateur quality of its rhymes. And though Bikini Kill fans jonesing for a Kathleen Hanna fix will perk up at the strains of Pussy Whipped's "Hamster Baby" driving "Bathing My Hamster In Nail Polish Remover", the rhymes about Paul Weller and Vanilla Silk soy milk set against blaring-alarm guitars and A.D.D.-addled beats will be enough to sustain the interest of any listener, no matter how limited their knowledge of punk history.
One of the few things that hardcore has always had in common with hip-hop is hometown scene loyalty, and the YMD certainly tout theirs. Excuse Me, This Is the Yah Mos Def is a virtual mash note to the City of Brotherly Love; Philly even gets its own thank-you in the liner notes. "New Direction" calls out many local neighborhoods, from Fishtown to Bryn Mawr (or, in the band's own lexicon, "From East Falls to these balls"), and the city's local music and sports legends are touted throughout. So, much like cheesesteaks, the YMD-- no matter what you call them-- is an addictive, if hard-on-your-heart, delicacy that could be from nowhere else.
