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In the ever expansive world of music genres, there is something new discovered every day. Whether or not you are the one doing the discovering is a different subject, but the creativity is out there. For some, it's discovering a country song they actually like, or a hip-hop fan digging a rock tune. Many genres of music hold many different appealing tastes for many different people. Every once in a while though, a genre of music warps and distorts itself into a brand new sub-genre that really piques the ear drums. Nerdcore, a genre of music encompassing many rock, hip-hop and rap acts that focus on the geeky, has spawned a new genre - foodcore.
Specifically, the collective hip-hop group Torrentz has created the definitive foodcore album. Considering it's the only foodcore album I've ever really heard, that makes sense. To define foodcore is relatively simple: songs about food. That pretty much defines it. Dedicated to, subject matter concerning and all about food. An album like that could easily be terrible, as it could slide into mediocrity and rambling nonsense pretty quickly. However, Torrentz' first full album release, Big Kahuna, is probably one of the best hip-hop albums my ears have ever devoured.
I've reviewed a lot of albums in this space, I've listened to a plethora more that I've never reviewed. At least 10 hours a day I'm listening to music across all genres. Big Kahuna is on heavy rotation on my mp3 player, and not just because it's a nerdcore album and I've either met or hung out with several of the artists, but because musically, it's that good of an album. It also comes from Scrubclub Records (so you can download it for free) but in this case, that doesn't factor into this review.
Torrentz is Klopfenpop, Milk-Plus, Fatback Supreme and they have four core beliefs when it comes to making music. They believe in great music, fun music, free music and community. In this album they have exhibited all of those qualities, especially community with the line-up of guest artists on the album. Each song, while following a common theme throughout (food), is a unique and collaborative track owning its own epicness. Counting their five song EP Let's Get Bloody (also available for free), over 25 artists have contributed to the Torrentz music library. The three members of the band are no slackers either, all of them acting as multi-instrumentalist, beatsmith, emcee, producer, and singer on a multitude of tracks.
On Big Kahuna, the community comes out in creative force. The album prominently features: Billy the Fridge, Beefy, MC Wreckshin, Rappy McRapperson, Jake-Bit, Babyback, Stalara, NES-T, B-Type, XOC, Manna, Ham-STAR, Bill Beats, Betty Rebel, C0splay, Marc With a C, Fritz Charleston, Pops Ghostly, MC Atomsk, and Johnny Z.
The foodcore paradise kicks off with the title track "Big Kahuna" featuring Fatback Supreme, Billy the Fridge, Beefy, and Klopfenpop. The theme of this track is eating contests and the artists each take their turn explaining the depths to which they would go to consume a mammoth amount of burgers and other edibles in a "Big Kahuna" contest. Immediately you are drawn into the album, whether a fan of hip-hop or not, by the well constructed beats and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. This continues right into "French Toast Tango," a high energy trip around the world, exploring some of the more interesting food choices available. MC Wreckshin, and Rappy McRapperson each lend a verse to this generally NSFW tune. There is even a video.
While most of this album isn't for kids (in the sense of tone and supposition, rather than direct language) the track "Back in the Day" featuring Jake-bit, Klopfenpop, and Babyback offers us a ride in the foodcore time machine. Kicking off with a sample of a Bagel Bites commercial, the track brings us right back to our childhood, playing NES and trading Snack-Packs at lunch. This track is a great example of the tight flows of Klopfenpop, who is probably one of the quickest rappers I've heard lately. After that track, it's time to treat sugared snacks like drugs in "Sugar Rush." Stalara, NES-T, and Milk-Plus get loaded on coffee, Nutter Butters and other assorted candy treats in this track that seems to emulate the ups and downs of sugar, slowing down and speeding up. Break out the Swedish Fish.
Just so you know how much I have been enjoying this album, I'm listening to it while I write this. At the moment, it's the track "The Jewel of India" in which Fatback Supreme, B-Type, XOC, and Milk-Plus drop their rhymes to the backdrop of some Sitar samples. If you haven't pieced it together, the song is about their love of Indian food. Again, a very creative and specific track that could stand on its own outside of the backdrop of a food-centric album. When it comes to music, often you'll find an album that has one or two tracks that could be considered "singles." Those albums fall under false advertising and are lazy. I know they are quite mainstream, but Weezer to me has always been one of those groups where every song on the album stands on its own. Big Kahuna is like that, every track tells a story, has strong subject matter and ties in with the central theme as well.
If you like cookies (or are Cookie Monster, in which case you love cookies) then you'll dig the track "I Love Cookies." Manna, Ham-STAR, and Milk-Plus bake up a laid back track about treating cookies like a meal, with pretty much every sample they could find about cookies. This is followed by the interlude "Brownie Recipe" in which Bill Beats lays a beat behind a soft spoken recipe for baking brownies. I'm pretty sure it's accurate too. My friend Teressa (who loves cats) actually loves this track, mostly because it's about brownies. Just for reference, she spent most of this past week listening to Christmas music by Hanson.
The next track is definitely not for kids. Milk-Plus shows his twisted humor on "Pork Chops (Muppet Porn)" a song that mixes the succulent sense of eating well-cooked pork products with the sexual innuendos found within. Betty Rebel and MC Wreckshin join him in his escapade to turn Mrs. Piggy into something more than just a side of loin. The song is dirty but absolutely hilarious. The seemingly carnivalistic music behind the raps makes it one of the most entertaining songs on the album.
"Cereal (A Day in the Life)" drops into a bit of chiptune territory in which Mr. Spastic, Klopfenpop, C0splay, and Marc With a C express their true love of cereal. This song produced my current text message ring tone, specifically the Marc With a C bit. Klopfenpop told me when he asked Marc for a quick verse, he had no idea what it was going to be and hasn't stopped laughing at the result. Let's just say he really likes Fruity Pebbles. This is another track that doesn't just deliver good rhymes, but also drops in a dollop of nostalgia as we start thinking about our favorite cereals. Coincidentally, one of mine is Muppet-related.
My favorite track on the album is the duel between Fritz Charleston and XOC called "Toaster Strudel -vs- Pop Tarts." What did it for me on this track was XOC getting real descriptive with his Toaster Strudel hate. I'm a Pop Tart fan, so I have to side with him on this. Pop Tarts are freaking awesome. I mean, you can toast them, or you can just eat them right out of the package. You can see how the music in the nerdcore genre speaks to a person like me; I can easily associate with the music. This song is about Pop Tarts, Toaster Strudels - how awesome is that? The rest of the album runs through a song about snack foods ("My Favourite Things,") a song about hot dogs and then cheese. Big Kahuna is an enjoyable treat that is rare to find in any genre. Considering it's foodcore, the album really should be up for a Michelin Star or two.
Wired: A well-produced, extremely well-mixed and superbly well-performed album. Very creative both lyrically and musically, whether you are a fan of hip-hop or not, Big Kahuna is a culinary auditory delight.
Tired: Um, Muppet Porn? That was weird.
Rating: 
You can get Big Kahuna for free over at Scrubclub Records. What are you waiting for? There is no waitstaff in this restaurant, get your sporks out, it's time for some foodcore!
