Album: Various Artists – Snowgoons: German Lugers

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Hip Hop culture’s reverence all over the world is evident; just ask German beat-makers the Snowgoons, who have put together a very potent and strong debut album. That fact that they have some of the U.S. independent Hip Hop scene’s best at their disposal helps drive it home. In fact, at times you could mistake this for one in the flood of American independent Hip Hop releases, with the obviously U.S. influenced production style.

Just as the album title suggests, the album kicks off with a bang as Philadelphia-based mic wreckers Chief Kamachi, Virtuoso and on-again/off-again Jedi Mind Tricks member Jus Allah put fear into their competition on the vicious Heads Or Tails. Fellow Philadelphia native Baby Blak steals the show on the string-laden Thinking About Me, with a versatile beat that even radio thugs with the softest candy shell would want to spit flows over.

The assault lets up slightly on the more soulful touch of Wait A Minute, featuring Boston’s own the Kreators, as they talk up their upbringing with Hip Hop music. Meanwhile, Gang Starr affiliate Afu-Ra adds his nimble mic style to the mix on It’s Yours. Although, both these tracks are still pretty heavy material.

If Germany wasn’t name dropped during the album and wasn’t mentioned in the album title you may have experienced the 60 minute-plus album without knowing where the producers hailed from. With the best of Hip Hop music though, it is the quality rather than the nation it was made in that matters. Unless you’re the Bermuda Triangle’s first rapper, in that case you deserve a medal. Cop it, maybe not in the grill though, that would be dangerous.

Available Through Baby Grande Records