Dude Dude Dude, The Earl

Bonus Beat 13 - The Earl
from the 12" Remixes, Vol. 5 on Footlong Development Records (2006).

Here's The Proof - The Earl
Unreal - The Earl
from the EP Loaded Ensemble on Footlong Development Records (2003). "Proof" also released as 12" in Japan in Subcontact (2006).

More instrumental hip hop for your heads today. I L-O-V-E the tradition of fledgeling producers putting out gray-market bootlegs of popular or classic hip hop tunes to showcase their beats and aesthetic. Something new and something familiar all in one, like a truffle burger at a tenth the price and with longer lasting enjoyment. I first came across Los Angeles are producer The Earl for exactly this reason because he was releasing remixes of Big Daddy Kane, Q-Tip, and J-Live on his own Footlong Development label. In a brilliant bit of decision making he also included his instrumentals and Bonus Beat productions on each Remix Volume he did. Up today is the assiduously named "Bonus Beat 13" from Remixes Vol. 5, which works the exotica/spy vibe extremely well. Reminds me of Herbaliser's "Missing Suitcase."

Also up are two tracks from his solo release in 2003. "Here's The Proof" is the instrumental to "Proof" which is on the flipside of the record and features Khalil of Fresh Air as the voice. I went back and forth as to the throwing up the instrumental or the vocal version and narrowly went with the instro, even if it does get a bit repetitive at the end (like all tracks meant to have verses flowing over them). Tasty, super-recognizable Tribe whip sample tossed in with chunky drums a vampy little piano element. Regular readers of Ear Fuzz may be noting a deeply felt love for piano lick along side thick, slow drums for me.

"Unreal" from the same album leaves out the piano for lots of horn loops and some unrecognizable to me high-pitched accents (is that high register electric piano? synthetic piccalo?). For the last minute or so The Earl works his drum elements around solo style...maybe not the most intricate chopping ever, but it has the nice effect of moving off the rigid beat enough to move me to the edge of my seat.