Well, you can't say Tricky didn't tell you about this shit. After all, when the Bristolian innovator mentions an influence other than The Specials, Public Enemy or, er, Kate Bush, it's always the London Posse. Those that didn't know are about to be enlightened as Wordplay follow up their re-release of the crew's classic '93 single 'How's Life In London' with the earlier album release, 'Gangster Chronicle'.
Like the aforementioned single - included on this release along with three other later single releases - the sounds on 'Gangster Chronicle' are the equal of many of the US albums released alongside it in hip-hop's heyday. Emcees Rodney P and Bionic were unique amongst their British compadres in their willingness to move beyond the US imitations that comprised the majority of UK hip-hop releases and develop a distinctly British delivery that owed more to their Caribbean origins than the rhyming and the dozens of US rappers.
The production blends elements of the 'pre-weeded' up-tempo sound of the early nineties with heavy Jamaican reggae soundsystem flavours. Drum programming is hard and intricate and the basslines drop as ruff as the London slang.
The later material displays the influence of the more club-orientated sound that developed in the UK as the nineties progressed with 'How's Life In London' using the Bomb Squad-style JB horn loops and 'Funky Rhyme, Funky Style' sporting the funkiest bassline the Posse ever put down.
Rodney P has, of course, gone on to grace some of the greatest hip-hop tracks made in the UK, especially those produced by the incredibly talented Skitz. What happened to Bionic is less certain, although it seems he spent some time making drum and bass tracks (London Posse, alright) he appears to have lost the faith. Rodney P himself must have been through some dark times watching UK hip-hop built up and knocked back down in a seemingly unending cycle by the British music establishment. Both should be proud of the achievements showcased here.
