| Every so often, an artist or group comes along as a beacon (or bacon) of hope. The seas are angry with the low bellows of Ja Rule or the tired catchiness of Jay Z. They rap of the high life, a lack of respect that only platinum artists must feel and increasingly juvenile hooks. It may be closed-minded, but a xylophone player should never get popular song royalties. The last time this happened, with the pomposity of progressive rock choking the masses with organ solos and fashion faux pas, a little group called Sugar Hill Gang came |
| Little T and One Track Mike |
| Fome is Dape |
 |
| along, and used its rhymes as meal-makers (both figuratively and literally). �Rapper�s Delight� exposed the internal conflicts of eaters everywhere. Should you politely eat more of mom�s food, even though it�s gag-worthy? Discuss. The meantime, filled with Weird Al opuses, certainly seemed filling. But a curly-haired accordion player can do only so much � a new duo satiates our hunger for new and tasty music free of guilt. On Little T & One Track Mike�s �Fome is Dape,� the old school truly returns, shining reams of ultraviolet beams onto the skanky and dank hip-hop scene. The album breezes through everything from the perils of oily skin, hypochondria, dorm room phone controversies and yes, cheese. �Mozzarella, cheddar or American baby, Fome is dape, the rest is all gravy,� raps Little T, with a hint of Eminem giving away his (gasp) white-itude. The fun and self-deprecating album follows along the lines of a video MTV showed one time, Fatlip�s �What Up Fatlip?� And although you might feel self-conscious singing about �nerdy� subject matter, just try and keep tight-lipped when �Shaniqua� plays � the fresh and breezy musical accompaniment anchors the song while a bass line still can rattle the windows of your Geo Metro while you sing, �And I just want some peace and quiet/ Come to my room and it�s a telephone riot.� And though the album probably plays best as a soundtrack to the �Office Space�-loving, girlfriend-lacking, Dungeons & Dragons-playing, friend-filled Friday nights, there are some signs that the hip-hop duo can construct some very nice melodies. On �Wings� and �Only When It Rains,� food is forsaken for more somber, contemplative manner that feels just right. But the reason Little T and One Track Mike should enter the popular consciousness and become as American as McDonald�s and apple pie is this: It�s unadulterated fun. And anyone who can transform Donovan�s �Season of the Witch� into an even catchier incarnation (like this duo accomplishes with �Sammy�) has way too much talent to remain in the food-loving D&D set for long. Soup�s on. |
| Originally published Nov. 29, 2001 in the Northern Star, by Hank Brockett |