The Beat Hijack #2: Statements

NOTICE: Original Music and all rights to it by Shindy. This is a personal project for no commercial gain.

FEBRUARY 2018

I've been listening to a lot of international songs and particularly, international hip-hop recently and discovered a German artist called Bushido. Because he features on this song, I also discovered the German hip-hop artist Shindy. I think overall I actually prefer Bushido's music but this song by Shindy is pretty epic.

I was pulled in immediately by the grand brass sounds. I also enjoyed both Shindy and Bushido's flows on this track (although I think I prefer Bushido's) with the blending of some clever English lines into the German raps.

When I found the translations online, they were a bit 'meh' to be honest, but they're a great listen when you don't know what they are saying. The video has some very stereotypical hip-hop video themes, you know... fast cars and private jets on an airfield...literally (he's let off only by the fact that he's gone for vintage cars). I much preferred the interesting visual work going on with the very modern and stylised bright background colours, the record player effect etc. in the bits not on the airfield. In all honesty though, the best thing about the video is Bushido's bomber jacket game!

UPDATE March 2019: Unfortunately since his split from Bushido's label, a lot of his videos and music have disappeared from the interwebs, including this one. The video below has the original track but not the original video.

I wrote the verse for this very quickly in pretty much one sitting one evening whilst in Thailand and recorded a very rough version of it overnight using a tiny usb mic, whilst "whisper rapping" into it to avoid waking the neighbours. That's not the version you'll be listening to though, I gave it a cleanup when I got home.

As with January's beat hijack, the writing came easier than the delivery and flow, but I think this one works much better than last month's.

Edit in August 2018: I imagine this verse is what truth might serve up to her oppressors when she's had enough of being liberally trampled on i.e. do better.