Artist: Camp Lo Album: Uptown Saturday Night

Year: 1997
Duration: 0:0-1

The Nostalgic Hip Hop Sound of Camp Lo's Uptown Saturday Night

If you're a hip hop fan, you might have already heard of the duo from the Bronx named Camp Lo. Their debut album, Uptown Saturday Night, is a masterpiece that takes you back to the golden age of hiphop. The album takes inspiration from soul and jazz music, and the duo delivers it with their unique lyrical style. In this blog post, we'll give you a brief history of Camp Lo, introduce you to the genre of their album, highlight the best songs of the album, and take a critical look at its innovative parts.

Camp Lo consisting of two rappers, Sonny Cheeba, and Geechi Suede, met in the late 80s while working at a streetwear shop in the Bronx. After crafting their lyrical style, they caught the attention of legendary emcee, producer, and DJ, Darryl D.M.C. McDaniels, who produced their debut album. The duo's unique lyrical style and smooth flow earned them a loyal underground following that made them one of the most influential hiphop acts of the 90s.

Uptown Saturday Night is a masterpiece that blends soul, jazz, and hiphop genres together. The album's sound is heavily influenced by jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, and it features samples of his music throughout the album. The album's production is characteristically boom-bap, with heavy use of drum breaks and basslines that are both nostalgic and fresh. The album also features jazzy instrumentals with an emphasis on live instrumentation, which is rare in hiphop albums of today.

The album's best tracks are unmistakably groovy and upbeat, notably Luchini (This Is It), and Black Connection. Luchini (This Is It) has a catchy chorus and a laid-back flow with lyrics that reimagine luxurious lifestyles, while the beat samples Ahmad Jamal's Swahililand. Black Connection features a head-nodding bassline, smooth vocals, and, of course, the duo's unique lyrical style. Also, Coolie High has a smooth and soulful sound with story lyrics that you want to listen to again and again.

The most innovative part of the album is the duo's unique lyrical style. Their lyrics are dense with wordplay and metaphors that keep you listening to catch every line. Their flow sounds like spoken word poetry, and their rhymes have an almost conversational style. While the album's sound is rooted in the past, their lyrics are innovative and stand out even till today.

In conclusion, Uptown Saturday Night is a critically acclaimed album that is still popular among hip hop fans and considered one of the most influential albums of the 90s. The album takes inspiration from soul and jazz music and delivers it with the duo's unique lyrical style. The best tracks of the album are groovy and upbeat, and their lyrics are dense with wordplay and metaphors. Despite the album's heavily nostalgic sound, Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede's unique lyrical style remains innovative till today. If you love hiphop music and haven't already listened to this album, you're missing a real gem.