The universal world of funk

Two new releases from Universal Music exemplify the broad reach today of hip-hop and rap, how it crosses boundaries of geography and even, gender. One release is the solo CD of ubiquitous Black-Eyed Pea will.i.am; while the second CD is a vibrant comeback of sorts for chart-topper Robyn.

Songs About Girls by will.i.am: Within the recording industry, known as much for his producing prowess as for his being a member of The Black-Eyed Peas, will.i.am clocks in with his first solo CD; and if I go by how my kids pick up on current songs and make it their anthem-of the-month, the CD is destined to spawn numerous hits. The carrier single is Got It From My Mama, and when even my eight-year-old is smitten by the song and pitched in on the chorus the first time I played it in the car, you know the CD has got a winning formula. A loose collection that runs the gamut of the type of relationships one can have with women, the CD is chockful of potential hit singles. In fact, for sequencing, I found the strongest songs to be tracks eight to 11; namely, One More Chance, Invisible, Fantastic and Fly Girl. Whereas Mama is more Peas in feel, the songs have a smoother feel to them, and show off will’s diversity within the genre of R ’n B. I also especially liked the cut She’s a Star. The social conscience song here is SOS (Mother Nature), and Al Gore should give the song a listen.

Robyn by Robyn: With an obvious nod to Japan as a cultural watershed for today’s 21st century hip kids, Robyn rises from the ashes of yesteryear with a CD that is truly vibrant, relevant and musically rewarding. After a bombastic intro cut that sounds much like the barker one would hear at a boxing match, the track Konichiwa Bitches introduces us to a very aggressive, assertive and punchy “new” Robyn. If you don’t believe me, take a listen to Handle Me. It’s like Avril Lavigne came up with a song that mixes rock with R ’n B, and the great thing about it is, it works. Even with there’s a techno overlay, as when With Every Heartbeat employs a string section and synthesizer, or the drum machine of Should Have Known, there’s a rawness that cuts through the slick musical feel. Be Mine! is the wonderful carrier single, and it’s just a taste of the great music that is to be found on the CD. As with Robotboy, a mix of sci-fi and hip-hop, it sometimes feels like we’re in the middle of a soundtrack for a manga comic book or an animated film about a robot that comes to life in the middle of the Harajuku district of Tokyo. It’s great to welcome back Robyn when the music is this refreshing.