The Deal: Charlotte hip-hop collective releases innerstellar rubberkarma holdingcell.
The Good: Judging by the band’s MySpace page, there’s no telling how many people comprise the group, but one fact remains – this is some of the best music I’ve heard come out of Charlotte since I started this job. It’s more than just hip-hop – hints of acoustic guitar, Joshua Panda’s moments of falsetto and great grooves. Some hip-hop finds beats, but lacks the lyrics to back it up – you can tell there are musicians at the heart of this group. “Dirt Off My Shoes” reminded me of Gorillaz while other tracks hit like Busta Rhymes, Eminem and Wu-Tang.
The Bad: With Panda moving to Vermont for the summer, the band is down one singer – they’re looking for a replacement.
The Verdict: One can only hope that Panda’s influence returns to the group (and the Q.C.) after his Northern tour. However, there’s enough talent in Uncle Fox and Bearcat that they’ll be able to survive the loss, however temporary or permanent it is. Check ’em out live if you can, buy the disc when you see it.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 3, 2008.
