Pick Up On This - 1987-1992 (Clamshell Box)

Cookie Crew was founded in South London by Debbie Pryce (MC Remedee) and Susan Banfield (Susie Q), two daughters of Caribbean immigrants who fell in love with rap when the Sugarhill Gang appeared on Top of the Pops in 1979. They eventually formed a 13-strong posse called the Warm Milk & Cookie Crew, and they won a rap competition in 1985, which led to further live gigs and sessions for John Peel and Janice Long on BBC Radio 1. Their first single, a collaboration with the Beatmasters called "Rok da House," became the first hip-house hit, and argually beat Chicago to the creation of the style. Because of the songs success, Cookie Crew have often been pigeonholed as a dance act. Listening to their entire discography, collected on the box set Pick Up on This: 1987-1992, its obvious that their heart was always with hip-hop, but they were open to exploring both their pop and hardcore sides. 1989 debut full-length Born This Way featured production by Stetsasonics Daddy-O and D.B.C., as well as fellow New York rap veteran Davy DMX and Cookie Crews own DJ Dazzle. Characteristic of golden age hip-hop production, theres heavy breakbeats and recognizable samples, along with the duos strong, tightly wound rhyme cadences and empowering lyrics. The two songs that ended up being the albums biggest hits both leaned towards the Crews dance side, with "Got to Keep On" marrying a Kraftwerk electro pulse to Edwin Starr horns, and "Born This Way" having a house bassline along with its galloping breakbeats. "Places and Spaces for Your Mind" glimpses into the duos reflective side, while "Rhymes and Careers" is full of vicious putdowns. Two mixes of "Rok da House" and the Crews first single by themselves, "Females (Get on Up)," appear as bonus tracks. Fade to Black, the duos 1991 follow-up, featured production by Gang Starr and Black Sheep, as well as Dancin Danny D of D-Mob and C.J. Mackintosh of M|A|R|R|S, and a guest appearance by vibraphonist Roy Ayers on a remake of his own "Love Will Bring Us Back Together." Less clubby and pop-oriented than previous Cookie Crew releases, it has much more of a focus on socially conscious lyrics. The title track tells a gripping story of how a Black British man was perceived when he traveled to Harlem, while "The Power of Positive Thinking" asks how racial harmony can be achieved. The album still has its fun, joyous moments, particularly the Black Sheep-produced "Going Freestyle" and the rapid-paced Ultramagnetic MCs tribute "Mental Maniac." Loads of remixes and rarities fill out the rest of the box, including a hilarious Prince Paul remix (naturally, he extensively samples the Cookie Monster), a few top-notch straightforward house mixes, and the Crews final single, the obscenity-laced hardcore track "Crews Gone Mad." There was much more to Cookie Crew than meets the eye, and this box set excellently displays how much they accomplished over the course of their underappreciated career. ~ Paul Simpson

英国女性ラッパーの草分けとなるデュオの、アルバム2枚とシングル、膨大なリミックスなどを網羅したCD4枚組セット。全英5位に輝いたヒップ・ハウスの"Rok Da House(W.E.F.U.N.K.)"をはじめ、ダディOらの手掛けた初作『Born This Way』(89年)のポップさはもちろん、DJプレミア&グールーやロイ・エアーズとのコラボを含む『Fade To Black』(91年)も聴きもの。
bounce (C)出嶌孝次