Raptronica

I was listening to a Kid sister interview yesterday and she was talking about the fusion of hip hop and electronic dance music. Her album Ultraviolet is one the newer albums out there that embodies this mix. She was saying that she is at the forefront of genre, which is technically true. Her hit single “Pro Nails” actually came out two years ago and she explained that one of the reasons her album was so delayed was that she wanted the best album possible to represent the new genre, that one Rolling Stone article dubbed “Raptronica”. Kid Sister said she was not going to compromise and put out something she did think would fit the genre. She even left off collaboration with Pharrell because she said it was too slow. What new artist gives up a chance to have Pharrell produce and perform on their debut album? For our sake I hope this track makes it on either her sophomore album or an N.E.R.D. track.

That being said, “Raptronica” seems to be staking out its own territory within the hip hop genre. Obviously there is Kid Sister’s Ultraviolet. Another driving force behind this movement in French house music David Guetta who in 2009 was rated by DJ Magazine as the 3rd Greatest DJ of all time. All my techno friends out there now this man, and he has now become the go to producer for hit records. He was a prominent producer on last years The E.N.D. by the Black Eyed Peas. He also had a top ten hit with Akon called, “Sexy Bitch.” I have said it before, but I am obsessed with Guetta Kid Cudi collaboration of “Memories”. He is moving even deeper into pop music with rumors that he will be producing Britney Spears next album. He also won a Grammy this year for a collaboration he did with Kelly Rowland. If Kid Sister was at the forefront of Raptronica, David Guetta is becoming the Godfather.

It’s not just Guetta who is embracing this change. Also an early artist to Raptronica is the band LMFAO. No, they don’t just pick airplane fights with Mitt Romney. I also had a friend introduce me to Ninjasonik out of Brooklyn, who would definitely fall into this category. It’s not just new artist either, Lil Jon is coming out with a techno album. His thinking is that house music is what’s being played in the clubs and he wants to be played in the clubs. Three Six Mafia has a new record called “Shake My” that is techno infused. There is a Lupe Fiasco and Kenna have been also getting in on this. It’s not surprise the in Miami, home of many house clubs that MC Pitbull would come out with “Hotel Room Service” that plays heavily with synthesizers. Finally Flo Rida, also a Miami native, is sampling that annoying song “Blue (Da Ba Dee” for a new track called sugar. (Does Flo Rida understand the concept of non 80s and 90s pop?).

I am all for fusion in music and I guess we’ll all wait and see who else gets on this Raptronica band wagon. It’s better than autotune.