Get ready for 4:20 on January 1, 2014 with this track commemorating the day by Denver hip-hop collective .
Though less than a month away, it’s still really hard to believe that weed will be sold legally in Colorado beginning January 1, 2014. It’s also hard to believe that the might Wu-Tang Clan would choose Denver to spend New Year’s Eve, but both are true, and likely both are related.
On Wu-Year’s Eve at , Denver hip-hop collective will share the stage, and many expertly rolled blunts, with the Clan. Recently, the troupe, comprised of four emcees, two producers, a DJ and a drummer, released a for the track “Young Amsterdam,” a tribute to the history-making Colorado liberation of pot.
Now, technically, “Young Amsterdam” was released by The Foodchain emcee FL, aka F.Lawless, on his “Limbo” album. But as with many collectives, Wu-Tang included, there are never hard lines between the projects of members and the collective. On “Limbo,” FL doesn’t have to pass the mic as much as a collective project, but the album has the same down tempo beats, casual flow, and conscientious, smart rhymes as a project from The Foodchain. All of this is a good thing.
Consistently producing stellar music with clear crossover appeal, it’s a wonder that The Foodchain isn’t more commercially successful — but then, that’s not the point. The collective operates under the banner “c>¢” — “culture is greater than currency.” The main mission is not money, but the movement of masses. Lyrically, The Foodchain covers matters of the heart, as well as political and social topics. Relevant messages places The Foodchain alongside ’90s conscious rappers like Talib Kweli, whom the group has collaborated with. On Wu-Year’s Eve, however, celebration may take precedence over both currency and culture.
Below, download “Young Amsterdam.” Then check out more music from The Foodchain on the collective’s page. Listen to the whole “Limbo” album at .
Please note that downloads offered via Steal This Track are intended to whet your appetite, and are NOT CD-quality recordings. If you want those, please support the artists by buying their music and/or seeing them live.
If you’re a band or musician ready to expose your fresh sounds to the readers of Reverb, email your tracks — along with any interesting facts about them, as well as a photo or album art — to Steal This Track for consideration.
Josh Johnson is a Denver freelance writer and Reverb contributor. He is also a co-host/co-producer of the Denver podcast . He’s also a journeyman butcher. Seriously.
