Track Thursday

I'm going to try every Thursday to post a track review of a song that is amazing. If not me, then hopefully someone else.

The inaugural edition will start with Spank Rock's wonderfully filthy "Put That Pussy On Me (Diplo Tonite Remix)." What this song does is give me two things I love: MC Spank Rock's (real name Naeem Juwan) crude-yet-still-banging rapping and a beat (any beat really) done by Diplo. How Diplo isn't a bigger producer in the mainstream rap world still miffs me.


This idea came from listening to The Seeds self-titled LP for the first time and realize that the first song, "Can't Get You Out of My Mind," was main sample Diplo used for the remix. I basically found out something additionally great about a song I already loved, causing me to love it more.

The Diplo Tonite Remix of "Put That Pussy On Me" does a fine job of shifting the lyrical reaction of the rap by just changing the backing music. First, the warped guitar Diplo knicks for the remix completely changes the song's purpose- from the straight-up club-banger original into a playful, sunnier rap jaunt. Whereas someone playing the original might think the rap is just fulfilling the generic lyrical quota of involving ass and MC-braggadocio, in the remix the lyrics get highlighted in their true jestful intent. A good example is in the second verse, where Diplo blows the beat starts to blow up but offsets it with the summery, tinkling organ notes from The Seeds song. He then drops out the sugar completely, submerging everything but the drums in what sounds like a bathtub, putting the focus on the song's jokingly self-referential barb "I create styles of a superior taste that/some white boy's sure to imitate." By doing so he keeps the quasi-grit of the lyrics intact while softening the edges with the music. A gentlemen might actually be able to put this on a mix for a lady and not get slapped in the face.

Additionally, the track furthers the growing interest in Nuggets-era music. It's been a real treat to see more press/media outlets making note of bands like the Black Lips, King Khan and BBQ Show/His Shrines, Mark Sultan, Jay Reatard and all the other In the Red/Bomp!/Die Slaughterhaus labels that are putting respectful focus on that period of music.

I'd make a download of the track available, but I don't want to risk legal matters yet. The Spank Rock website listed above has the original version of "Put That Pussy On Me" available for download.

Some would have a very good case at saying Spank Rock is a overly sexist rap act. The album cover above acts as evidence, but so does their simple-in-concept music video for "Bump," which consists of a buck-naked girl jumping around in front of a white backdrop. Or the new Spank Rock and Benny Blanco Bangers and Cash EP that's just weeks away from being released. But that's missing the point. Spank Rock's about a good time and reveling/mocking hip hop's clichéd standards.