Hip hop is, by definition, referential, and underground hip hop prides itself on being referentially obscure. But the smug approach that the Philly duo formerly known as the Yah Mos Def takes to serving up its pop-culture knowledge is too clever by half. Bryan Poerner and Rick Mitchell made a trademark-infringing name for themselves by backing up their yelping rhymes with indie-rock samples. It’s so very cute to sample Cap’n Jazz and Minor Threat, isn’t it? And calling a song “Jive Like Jehu” is quite the postmodern statement, right? They clearly think so. References to Ian Svenonius, Fugazi albums and Crass are littered throughout Excuse Me, This Is The Yah Mos Def. All of which would be fine if the beats and rhymes weren’t so grating and clumsy. Sure, the YMD has the escape hatch of “keeping it raw like punk.” But you don’t have to think hard to surmise how truly raw the pink-Ralph-Lauren-wearing/handbag-selling duo is when taken out of its self-referencing indie universe and judged solely on the basis of its musical goods. [www.mypalgodrecords.com]
—Jason Ferguson
